The Baltimore Ravens have a big need in their cornerback room following the first month of 2022 free agency. They’ve seen many of their 2021 contributors at the position depart for other opportunities such as Anthony Averett, Tavon Young, and Chris Westry, which means that they’ll likely look towards the 2022 draft to help replace some of that production.
One of the players that could be a target for Baltimore over the course of draft weekend is former University of Florida star Kaiir Elam. While he isn’t regarded as someone in the same tier as players like Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley Jr., Elam is extremely talented in his own right.
Kaiir Elam in the Ravens’ secondary would be an intriguing fit pic.twitter.com/GZqp7BRceR
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 20, 2022
Elam is the nephew of former Baltimore first round pick Matt Elam, but the fact that they share the last name doesn’t mean that the younger Elam can’t be an effective player at the NFL level. He has great length and athleticism, allowing him to disrupt the arrival of the football and make plays on it with ease. He is also a physical player, and uses his eyes well in the defensive backfield, as he doesn’t get caught ball-watching too often.
The former Gator would likely be a trade-down candidate at No. 14 for the Ravens. If the team were to move back into the mid-to-late 20s, Elam could be a consideration for them. It feels unlikely that he’d make it to Baltimore’s second round pick at No. 45, but if they feel like he’s worth a selection the team could execute a move to make sure they’re in a position to land him later in the first round.