Going into the NFL the Baltimore Ravens who finished as the #1 seed in the AFC, the best running team we have seen in the NFL in many many years. They don’t have many holes on this defence, but the missing part that stood out to me was at WR. They lost to the Titans in the Division round because Jackson was forced to pass and they didn’t have enough talent on the outside to catch passes. They drafted Hollywood Brown last year and adding some more talent/depth for the MVP would help massively. Marshall Yanda retiring was a hole but the Ravens have signed former Seahawk D.J Fluker to fill his gap on the O-Line that ended 2019 as the 2nd best in the league per PFF. So the O-Line again, does not look much of a problem and with Jackson’s slickness in the pockett does it matter anyway? Going onto the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens already have key play-makers such as Earl Thomas, Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphrey, Matthew Judon and have now added Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe. This is a team that is getting better and better and the only position they needed was a ILB. They have not had one since the team let C.J Mosley go into FA and it is definitely a position of need. The only one i can think of!
With the #28th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select Patrick Queen – LB – LSU – per Daniel Jeramiah this was the top value selection in the first round, DJ had Queen ranked 15th best player in the Draft and yet he slipped all the way down to #28 and saw Kenneth Murray and Jordyn Brooks go before him. Queen’s football IQ is second-to-none and when you watch little bits of his tape it is easy to see why he is a first round pick, his quickness of the line and his awareness to what is happening in front of him and around him is phenomenal. He was a clear leading on this LSU defence and ended the season with 85 tackles (3rd), 12 TFL’s, 3 sacks and 1 INT. He is not the tallest of players but he showed he can guard the biggest of guys at the college level. This is a great pick by the Ravens who have not had a stand out LB since they let C.J Mosley walk last year. So they fill a position of need with Queen who is compared to Myles Jack and Roquan Smith.
With the #55th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select J.K Dobbins – RB – Ohio State – Dobbins who rushed for 2000 yards in his final year at Ohio State and had 23 total touchdowns is a monster not only on the ground with his elite quickness and change of speed but his catching out of the backfield. He had 23 REC and 247 receiving yards in his final year averaging 10.7 YPR out of the backfield. Over his 3 years with the Buckeyes he had 43 touchdowns and 5104 scrimmage yards. You are putting Dobbins into a backfield that already has Jackson, Ingram, Edwards and Hill is insanity and the best rushing attack in football just got better. This seems like a pick of taking the best player at the time they picked, it was not a position of need but yet when you’re roster has good depth and you don’t have any outstanding needs, these are the picks you can make that make you’re team even stronger.
With the #71st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select Justin Madubuike – DL – Texas A&M – Madubuike, who stands at 6ft 3in and weighs 304lbs is the Ravens saying to the rest of the NFL that they are not going to be beaten by the run. Madubuike adds to the numerous additions they have already made on the DL joining Campbell and Derek Wolfe. In college, Madubuike was known for playing in the B-Gap role, so he wont play NT he will probably play next to the nose tackle allowing him to shoot the Gap, he does lack the reach which is needed to play NT in the NFL. However, his tackling is very good and his mobility for such a big man is easy to see watching his tape. A good selection and it beefs up a front that is already beefed up and it just got bigger. Statement pick by the Ravens.
With the #92nd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select Devin Duvernay – WR – Texas – straight after making this selection HC John Harbaugh was on NFL Network discussing the work he has done so far and it was clear to see how much he likes Duvernay, for a small guy he had some insane contested catches in college and his physical ability is definitely undervalued because of his height 5ft 11in and the fact he only weighs 200 pounds. His hands are what really made his stock rise at the combine. His smaller frame makes him very good after the catch and is difficult to bring down. He will fill a need at WR for the Ravens and although the Ravens will be a run first team it will be interesting to see what prop lines are available with him at the start of the new season.
With the #106th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select – Malik Harrison – LB – Ohio State – Harrison was the Ravens 3rd pick in the 3rd round and they traded up to get him, he led the Buckeyes in tackles with 75 and came 2nd in their sack listings with 4.5 behind you guessed it, Chase Young. He had 4 PD’s in the 2019 season which was tied-3rd on the team. The Ravens who drafted Queen in the 1st round add another very good LB who can compete to be an instant starter with Queen in the NFL. He was known as an excellent run stuffer for the Buckeyes which again plays into pattern with what the Ravens are trying to do, stop the run. He is always running downhill and is an impact tackler who does not miss many (led team with 75) he can be used as a QB spy as he has the speed to keep up with QB’s in the NFL (well maybe not his own) he can play ILB or in a 4-3 possibly become an OLB.
With the #106th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select – Tyre Phillips – G – Mississippi State – Phillips is great in the run game and is amazing when he gets to the point of attack. He is a big build and his fit is in a power, gap scheme and playing inside as a run blocker. The Ravens who had the best rushing attack in football in 2019, got themselves a G who loves to run block and will only get better learning from some good O-Linemen in Baltimore. He lets himself down in the pass aspect of his blocking but like i said with time and development he could clean it up and become a starter in the NFL.
With the #143rd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select Ben Bredeson – G – Michigan – The ravens go OL and more specifically G in back to back picks, a suggested that they feel they needed to add some depth with good talent at the position. Bredeson was a 4yr starter at Michigan who was known for his leadership skills for the Wolverines. He is best suited, again no surprise here, when he is firing out and leading a power based rushing attack. The problem he has and it shows on tape is he struggles against quick rushers and he will need to sort that out to become a starter in the NFL.
With the #170th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select Broderick Washington – DL – Texas Tech – Washington was a 3yr starter and a 2yr team captain with the Red Raiders and he has a so called “Dirty dog mentality”. He is not the biggest guy but he shows grown man strength when you watch his tape. His size and length is probably why he fell this far in the Draft and he does not offer much rushing the passer value he only had 7.5 sacks in his 4 years at Texas Tech and 14 TFL’s but will offer good rotation which is what the Ravens are trying to build. Worth noting the Ravens got this pick when they traded kicker Kaare Vedvik to the Vikings so not bad value for the Ravens at all.
With the #201st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select – James Proche – WR – SMU – Proche adds more depth at the WR position for the Ravens and in his 4 years at SMU he had 301 REC, 3949 receiving yards and 39 TD’s. In his last 2 seasons he had 204 receptions and 2424 receiving yards as well as 27 TD’s he doubled his career stats at SMU in his last 2 years, an excellent selection at this point in the draft. Proche is known for his extraordinary ball skills at SMU, he does not have the quickness and the elite speed but his ball skills are excellent. He is amazing at tracking the ball and winning contested catches but he does have elite separation skills to get him away from opposing defenders.
With the #209th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens select Geno Stone – S – Iowa – Daniel Jeremiah has this listed as the steel of the 7th round, he had Stone ranked as the #123rd best player in the draft, he ended up going 96 selections later to the Ravens. Stone had 70 tackles in 2019 as well as 3 INT’s. The only down point on Stone is that he likes to play the ball before the ball has been fired, so with a quick pump-fake he could be out of position and leave his zone/man marking wide open. Good value and he can learn from one of the best to ever do it in Earl Thomas.
Every-year it seems like we say the same thing, the Ravens have had a great draft, they always get the best value and they manage to get all the best players. It shows the value they got when 2 of their selections are in DJ’s top 7 value picks of the draft. They got great depth in positions of need and added good strength at the WR position as well as adding 2 exciting young LB’s. As we look ahead to some of the Bets for the 2020 seasons the Ravens win total currently sits at 11 @ 888. They finished last year as the #1 seed and finished 14-2, it seems the AFC North has got a bit stronger and i would not be too keen to bet this, although it is available if you like it. If you fancy Lamar Jackson to do the MVP double he is second FAV @ 6/1 and you can back this in most places now. Not the best value and I will not be backing him but teams will need to adapt like the Titans did to stop his run game unless he very well could do the double. Jackson’s season figures stand at o/u 3250.5 passing yards @ 888/unibet and then his passing Touchdowns are at 26.5 also @ 888/unibet – these are both at 10/11. Bear in mind it is ONLY passing TD’s so rushing ones do not count, he ended last year on 36 Passing TD’s so people the bookies do not think he can repeat it, although with the talent they have added on offence and the strong Play Action game they will no doubt have – The bet i am tipping up is Jackson to have OVER 26.5 passing TD’s. He is getting better and better and i think once again this year the Ravens team will be very good.
That is now 2 bets @BeefyLayd17 has tipped up on these articles (one from the Browns article) and the Jackson one here. If you did get this far thank you for reading and I will be back tomorrow previewing the Bills and the Patriots drafts. Once again, thank you for reading and be sure to check out our Twitter @BettingFlea as we have a NFL Draft Review Podcast coming out in around an Hour or so.
Article By Jack Wilson – @BeefyLayd17
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