After a decently successful 2023 NFL Draft, who are the players that Baltimore Ravens fans should watch this upcoming college football season ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft?
The Ravens currently have a pick in each of the first five rounds of the draft. They also have two in round seven. There is a strong chance that Baltimore will net an extra compensatory pick in the fourth or fifth rounds for the loss of Ben Powers.
After locking up Lamar Jackson and bolstering their offense through Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers, the Ravens are favourites to make the playoffs. Barring any season-derailing injuries, their draft positioning is expected to be in the 20s (at the earliest).
As it stands, it is impossible to know who will be available for the Ravens in April 2024. A lot rides on this upcoming college season. Prospects can rise and fall drastically between now and next year, just ask Kelee Ringo.
Ravens 2024 NFL Draft: Five ‘Way-Too-Early’ Prospects
Treveyon Henderson (Running Back, Ohio State)
Last season, Baltimore’s run game was inconsistent thanks to injuries. J.K. Dobbins was primed for a breakout season but suffered various ailments. He was spry when he played but his production was limited by his health. Gud Edwards was in a similar boat with both having come off season-ending injuries in 2021.
With Todd Monken now the offensive coordinator, the offensive playbook has undergone a revolution. How that looks remains to be seen. However, it would make sense for Eric DeCosta to reconstruct his offensive personnel to fit with Monken’s vision. Dobbins and Edwards were perfect fits for Greg Roman’s offense, but will they be effective in Monken’s? Dobbins, who is the ‘feature’ back, is a tough, bruising runner but struggles with catching. However, receiving backs were an essential element of Monken’s Georgia offense. Will Dobbins’ limitations be problematic for Monken? Will Monken prefer to use Hill and UDFA Keaton Mitchell because of their natural hands?
Dobbins and Edwards enter contract years. It is the perfect opportunity for DeCosta to refresh his running back room. As such, a name to watch is TreVeyon Henderson. The former five-star recruit runs hard and has a nose for the end zone. In line with the Ravens’ projected offense, Henderson shows good hands, body control and solid route running. The Buckeye is particularly effective when catching swings and screens. He has also played with a mobile quarterback in Justin Fields.
As it stands, Henderson is one of the class’ top backs and is currently slated as a late first-round talent. Given the Ravens’ acquisition of Dobbins in the second round, grabbing Henderson early would fit DeCosta’s philosophy. However, an injury in 2022 limited his production. He will need to bounce back in 2023 to retain his status as a high draft pick.
TreVeyon Henderson. GONE
Buckeyes back on top.
(via @CFBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/k4wJNoZOCx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 29, 2022
Brock Bowers (Tight End, Georgia)
Why would a tight end be of interest to the Ravens in the 2024 NFL Draft? The answer is multifaceted. The first thing to note is this: Brock Bowers is not just any tight end. Bowers might just be the best tight end prospect in recent history. He blocks effectively, has excellent hands and makes great contested catches. The tie to Baltimore? Monken was the one that coached Bowers in his astonishing 2022 season.
But why spend a premium pick on Bowers when the team already has Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely? While Andrews is an All-Pro tight end, Ravens fans will be first to say that he was far from his 2021 self. The 28-year-old saw some uncharacteristic drops, though he still had a productive season. If Andrews is traded in 2024, the Ravens could net $5 million in cap space. It would take a bad season to come to that, but it is not out of the question.
What to make of Isaiah Likely? There is a good chance that Isaiah Likely will have a defined role under Monken. At Georgia, Monken deployed a lot of dual tight end sets, making the most of Bowers and Darnell Washington. Likely fits more of the Washington role while Bowers could come in and execute the NFL version of his college role.
As it stands, it is highly unlikely Baltimore would even have a chance of drafting Bowers. The 2022 Mackey Award Winner is projected to go in the top five picks of the draft and Baltimore should be nowhere near that. However, if Bowers underwhelms in 2023 without Monken, and Baltimore have a rough season, there is a chance that the two could be united.
Jacob Cowing (Wide Receiver, Arizona)
The Ravens could still need receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. The deficiencies at receiver have marred the Ravens for quite some time now. However, with the selection of Flowers this year, Baltimore may have found a long-term solution.
Regardless of whether Flowers steps up, the Ravens have some turnover at receiver in the 2024 off-season. Beckham Jr.’s contract is merely a one-year deal, meaning he could be gone after this year. Rashod Bateman also enters a crucial time as the team decides on his fifth-year option. Devin Duvernay, meanwhile, will be a free agent.
If Bateman struggles to break out this year, Ravens fans should start looking at the receivers available in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jacob Cowing is certainly a name to watch. Coming out of Arizona, Cowing fits the mould of what Baltimore looks for in receivers: tweener build, short-area quickness, deep threat ability and lethal run-after-catch potential. Cowing is currently listed as a Day 2 prospect, making him a feasible selection for the Ravens.
Arizona, meet Jacob Cowing. pic.twitter.com/QAZrHGVyC3
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 3, 2022
Tate Ratledge (Offensive Guard, Georgia)
After losing Powers this off-season, Ben Cleveland is the projected starter at left guard. He enters a contract year, however. In the draft, the Ravens grabbed Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees. Neither are NFL ready. As such, the left guard position has no clear long-term successor.
With that in mind, Tate Ratledge is a player that the Ravens could look at in the 2024 NFL Draft. Like Bowers, Ratledge plays his college ball at Georgia. This means that he has familiarity with the Ravens scheme and offensive coordinator Monken. Ratledge plays with excellent awareness and reach. The oversized lineman also has the frame to offer depth at tackle.
One problem with Ratledge’s fit for Baltimore is his usage on the right side of the line. As it stands, Kevin Zeitler is the starting right guard for Baltimore, and he is quietly one of their best linemen. If DeCosta selects Ratledge, the Ravens will need either him or Zeitler to move to the left.
Currently, Ratledge is touted as a mid-round talent. That could change in a year but, as it stands, the Ravens could be in a good spot to grab Ratledge. The Ravens have been known to find valuable offensive linemen in the middle rounds, such as Powers, Cleveland and Daniel Faalele.
Malachi Moore (Cornerback, Alabama)
Malachi Moore rounds off this list. The Ravens’ infatuation with Alabama prospects has not been overlooked, and it could come to fruition again in the 2024 NFL Draft. Moore is a willing tackler, despite his smaller frame, and plays with aggression at the catch point. Despite that, he lacks physicality in coverage and can be outmuscled by receivers at times.
The current Ravens cornerback room is the home of two former Crimson Tide prospects: Marlon Humphrey and Jalyn Armour-Davis. While Humphrey is one of the league’s best cornerbacks, Armour-Davis showed that he still has a way to go. Baltimore have had an affinity with Alabama prospects, appreciating their readiness for the pro level, making Moore a likely candidate on their board already.
Where Moore is selected is truly a shot in the dark. Some sites have said he could jump into the first round with a good 2023. Other sites have argued that his average physical tools condemn him to being a mid-round talent at best.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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