Ravens Announce Four Coaching Hires
Ryan Mink, BaltimoreRavens.com
Head Coach John Harbaugh announced Monday the hiring of four new coaches to his staff: Mark DeLeone (inside linebackers coach), Dennis Johnson (defensive line coach), Doug Mallory (defensive backs coach), and Travelle Wharton (assistant offensive line coach).
DeLeone, 36, has 17 years of coaching experience, most recently as a defensive analyst with the University of Kansas for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he spent 10 seasons (2012-2021) coaching in the NFL with the Detroit Lions (2021), Chicago Bears (2019-2020), Kansas City Chiefs (2013-2018), and New York Jets (2012).
Johnson, 35, has coached in the college ranks for the past 12 years (2012-23), most recently leading Baylor’s defensive line since 2020. Prior to his time in Waco, Johnson spent six seasons (2014-19) at his alma mater, LSU, assisting the defense in multiple capacities. His coaching career began as a graduate assistant in 2012 at Northwestern State, where he worked with the linebackers and secondary for two seasons (2012-13).
Mallory, 59, is a coaching veteran with over 30 years of experience, most recently serving as Michigan’s defensive analyst from 2021-23. He aided the Wolverines’ 2023 championship unit that allowed 10.4 points and 247.0 yards per game.
Wharton, 42, has been coaching NFL offensive linemen for the past six seasons (2018-23), most recently serving as the offensive line coach for the Washington Commanders (2023). He was promoted to that role after assisting Washington’s unit for three seasons (2020-22). Prior to that, Wharton was the assistant O-line coach for the Carolina Panthers (2018-19), the same organization for which he spent nine years (2004-11, 2013) blocking during his playing career.
As Ravens head to NFL scouting combine, draft looks deep at positions they need to fill
Brian Wacker, The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore has some options in-house, but not enough, so general manager Eric DeCosta and company will look to free agency and more importantly the draft to fill out the offensive line. This week in Indianapolis, they’ll get an up-close look at the next generation of prospects at the NFL scouting combine, with defensive linemen and linebackers working out Thursday; defensive backs and tight ends Friday; quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs Saturday; and offensive linemen Sunday.
The Ravens don’t pick until No. 30 overall in the first round and a standout offensive linemen is rarely available that late, but it’s not impossible they’ll find one.
“It’s a loaded tackle class,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “There’s 10, 11 guys that are really interesting. I think we’ll see a bunch of starters, a bunch of Day 1 starters out of that tackle group.”
Among them: Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Arizona’s Jordan Morgan and Notre Dame’s Blake Fisher.
In that group, only Morgan, who suffered a torn ACL in 2022, played left tackle, with the others playing on the right side. As for what they bring, Jeremiah noted that Guyton (6-foot-7, 327 pounds) and Mims (6-7, 340) are physical “freaks” but “a little bit raw.” He also said that Morgan has the versatility to start inside at guard before kicking back out, similar to Fisher.
2024 NFL Draft Preview: Answering the 10 Biggest Questions Heading Into the Combine
Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the draft class overall?
So we’ve established quarterback as a strength. Tackle and receiver are, too. At the former, seven prospects (Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Alabama’s JC Latham, Washington’s Troy Fautanu and Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton) are all considered first-round locks and could go inside the top 20 or so. At the latter, you have Harrison, who might be the best receiver to come through in more than a decade, followed by Washington’s Rome Odunze and LSU’s Malik Nabers, both of whom would likely be top-10 picks in any class.
“The two Texas kids [Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy], the two LSU kids [Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr.], Florida State’s [Keon Coleman], Michigan’s Roman [Wilson] had a great week down here,” Nagy says. “When you ask me who I like more than most, [Florida’s] Ricky Pearsall is one of my guys. I love Ricky Pearsall. I think there’s growing love in the league. I know some teams that want me to shut up about Ricky Pearsall.
“[South Carolina’s] Xavier Legette is going to be there on Day 2 somewhere. He’s just too big, fast and strong. He’s going to run really well at the combine. It’s gonna be one of those [receiver] classes where you don’t have to pull the trigger early.”
On defense, corner was consistently raised as the best position, even if there’s not a Sauce Gardner or Patrick Surtain II to top the class. Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell are likely to both go in the top 20. Per Nagy, “middle of the first to the beginning of Day 3 probably, you’re going to be able to get starters. Last year, the Raiders took [Jakorian Bennett] in the fourth round … I think it’s going to be the same.”
Ravens mock draft 1.0: How can Eric DeCosta rebuild the offensive line?
Jonas Shaffer, The Baltimore Banner
Round 1 (No. 30 overall): Washington OT Troy Fautanu
The Ravens need a succession plan at left tackle. They also need to upgrade their talent at guard. The 6-foot-4, 317-pound Fautanu, rated the draft’s No. 17 overall prospect by former Ravens scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, is a two-birds-with-one-stone option. His starting experience at left tackle and left guard offers the kind of flexibility the Ravens should covet.
Round 2 (No. 62 overall): Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
The 5-10, 218-pound Corley checks three important boxes: He has Steve Smith Sr.’s stamp of approval. He wore No. 81 at the Senior Bowl because, according to officials there, he compares favorably to Anquan Boldin. And he has a great track record of production, with 3,035 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns over his career, including 79 catches for 984 yards and 11 scores last season. Not a bad baseline for a Ravens prospect.
2024 NFL free agency: Best available QBs, TEs, offensive linemen
Bill Barnwell, ESPN
Offensive linemen
Tier 2: Pro Bowl-caliber starters
Free agents: G Kevin Dotson, Rams; G/OT Mike Onwenu, Patriots; OT Tyron Smith, Cowboys
Possible cap casualties: C Mitch Morse, Bills
After six restructures, the eight-year extension Smith signed with the Cowboys in 2014 is finally complete, allowing the eight-time Pro Bowler to hit free agency for the first time in his career. It seems like he has been around forever, given that he entered the league in 2011, but he’s still only 33. Injuries have sapped some of his physical tools and prevented him from playing a full season since 2015, but Smith’s 13 appearances this past season were the most he has made since 2019. NFL Next Gen Stats ranked him second among left tackles in 2023 with a 6.5% pressure rate, although he did post a league-high nine holding penalties.
Tier 3: Capable starters
Free agents: C Tyler Biadasz, Cowboys; OT Trent Brown, Patriots; C Lloyd Cushenberry, Broncos; G/OT Robert Hunt, Dolphins; G Jonah Jackson, Lions; G Damien Lewis, Seahawks; G Jon Runyan, Packers; OT Donovan Smith, Chiefs; OT Jonah Williams, Bengals; G Kevin Zeitler, Ravens
Possible cap casualties: OT David Bakhtiari, Packers; OT D.J. Humphries, Cardinals; G Laken Tomlinson, Jets
There typically aren’t many left tackles on the market. This year could be an exception. As many as 11 teams could be looking for a new player to protect their quarterback on the left side, so there’s going to be a rush in looking for solutions. Some of those teams will try to grab tackles in the draft, but ask the Jets about what happens if you don’t have linemen you can trust protecting your quarterback. Nailing this section of the market could be what makes or breaks a team with Super Bowl aspirations.