The latest mock drafts pertaining to the Ravens sees numerous cornerbacks and wide receivers mocked to Baltimore
The latest mock drafts pertaining to the Ravens.
NBC Sports’ Peter King [April 24]
No. 22 — Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
“I’ve thought receiver for the last month, even after Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Ravens. But Forbes is the imperfect candidate in a wholly imperfect draft, and I think he’s going in the first round. There is so much to like with the 6-0 ¾, 168-pound corner, the most productive defensive back in this draft. The only thing not to like is his rail-thin physique. But how about missing one of 37 college games with injury, returning six interceptions for touchdowns (an NCAA record), and having 30 interceptions in his past six seasons (16 in high school, 14 in college)? You want this man on your team. The Ravens would figure out how to maximize his instinctive play.”
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec [April 24]
No. 33 — Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
The Ravens move back and get one of the players they were considering when they were on the clock at No. 22. Forbes had an extremely productive college career, but his slight frame — just 166 pounds — could scare teams off and allow Baltimore to get him early in the second round.
Forbes may not be for everyone, but the Ravens love instinctive and aggressive corners who get their hands on the football. Forbes fits that profile. He understands route concepts and uses his 4.36-second 40-yard-dash speed to break quickly on passes. His ball skills are outstanding. In three college seasons, he had 14 interceptions and returned six for touchdowns.
Baltimoreravens.com’s Ryan Mink [April 24]
No. 22 — Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Cornerback is the Ravens’ biggest need going into the draft and they’re in good position with a few projected to come off the board in the back half of the first round. Banks is the kind of player the Ravens love at cornerback. He’s physical at the line of scrimmage and everywhere else on the field, has the speed to run with anybody, and versatility to line up outside or inside. Banks put on a show at the NFL Scouting Combine, showing elite athleticism (4.35 40-yard dash, 42-inch vertical) that will allow him to mirror a variety of different receivers.”
Baltimoreravens.com’s Garrett Downing [April 24]
No. 22 — Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
“The Ravens add another big-time weapon to their receiving corps. Flowers has home-run potential every time he touches the football. He has the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at the Combine, he’s incredibly elusive in the open field and he consistently breaks tackles. The only knock on Flowers is his size, but the 5-foot-9, 180-pound receiver plays bigger than he looks. He put up 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns last year at Boston College. He does a great job tracking the deep ball and can also make tough, contested catches in traffic.”
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson [April 24]
No. 22 — Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
“Johnston’s an above-the-rim playmaker whose athleticism and contested-catch abilities place him in the running for WR1. Assuming the Ravens and Lamar Jackson get on the same page, finding a No. 1 WR is on the to-do list and Johnston is coming off a dominant season for TCU.”
ESPN’s Matt Miller [April 23]
No. 22 — Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
“Even after signing Odell Beckham Jr., there is still a need in Baltimore for pass-catchers. Flowers’ stock has been soaring of late, with multiple scouts predicting he would be selected in the top 20 on Thursday night. His burst and ability to line up both in the slot and split out wide have won him many fans in the NFL scouting community despite a 5-9, 183-pound frame. Flowers’ improvement over the past four seasons at BC has been widely praised by evaluators, too. “He went from having bad hands in ‘20 to some of the best hands in football last year,” said one longtime AFC scout.”
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter [April 21]
No. 22 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
“Even after signing OBJ and Nelson Agholor this offseason, the Ravens can’t pass up the value of Smith-Njigba at this spot. His crafty route-running, reliable hands and strength and elusiveness after the catch will supersede his average speed to make him an excellent NFL receiver.”
NFL.com’s Maurice Jones-Drew [April 20]
No. 22 — Jordan Addison, WR, USC
“The Ravens already added Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor in free agency but need more firepower in the pass game for Lamar Jackson. They continue to load up on receivers with Addison, a do-it-all talent who can stretch the field.”
The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer [April 20]
No. 22 — Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
“The rise of the other corners means the Ravens can benefit by getting Smith, the former consensus No. 1 prospect at the position. Smith did look pretty smooth in the positional drills to think he will be a solid plug-and-playmaking starter replacing Marcus Peters.”
PFF’s Michael Renner [April 19]
No. 22 — Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
“The Ravens have to prepare for the potential of life without Lamar Jackson. If Hooker doesn’t tear his ACL, he likely goes higher than this, but the Ravens could be in a spot where Jackson is back for only one season, giving Hooker the ability to redshirt for a season.”