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The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
I just think that they've relied on veterans for so long that having to play 'so many' young guys at one time tested the patience of the fanbase, because it's been a long time since we've had to wait for defensive players to produce. Dannell Ellerbe always had the physical talent. That was never in question, even with he came out of Georgia (?). He just needed to mature.
Terrance Cody is only in his third year. We have to remember that he was wildly out of shape coming out of Alabama. It took him two years alone to get into shape, let alone improve his technique, which he still has time to do.
Look at Paul Kruger, who probably had two years of his young career wasted, because the team tried to make him a 3-4 DE.
Chykie Brown is a guy who was just stuck behind a sudden pool of depth at the CB position. He is growing with experience. His mistake on the TD was a communication mistake. Otherwise, he has played well given the circumstances.
Arthur Jones really spent time behind Cory Redding. Now that Redding is gone, Jones has been able to get more time.
Pernell McPhee had a decent rookie season. They tried to make him a full time 3-4 DE. He didn't fit there, but could develop into a quality pass rush specialist.
Courtney Upshaw, especially opposite Terrell Suggs? Havoc in the making.
Torrey Smith is only in his second year. Pitta is not far ahead of Torrey.
Osemele is somebody who can develop at LG
Oher looks fine where he belongs, after knocking off some rust, at RT.
Bernard Pierce is like having a second starting RB.
I just think that we are so used to seeing immediate results from picks, because there are a few players ready to go early, sprinkled into a group of veterans, that having to sit back and watch an actual developmental process, from several young players, has brought us back down to earth."Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
KO has the makings of an all-pro LG.
Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
I agree with everything except for Cody. In the Patriots game it really didn't look like he played that many snaps.
To me it's Jimmy Smith who is the work in progress. He needs to learn that trying to make an interception does not replace defensing the ball. The skills are there. His head just needs to catch up.
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
"Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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01-22-2013, 10:01 AM #6Hall Of Fame Poster
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
This is an organizational push to play young players right away to see what they've got right then and now instead of at the end of their rookie contract. This was something Steve B harped on at his end of the year press conference last year. So I think we're starting to see some of that here and yes the last two drafts are shaping up pretty good.
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01-22-2013, 10:10 AM #7Legendary RSR Poster
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
I was surprised (and happy) that after basically seeing no time on defense in the first two playoff games, Jimmy was on the field for what seemed to be a good portion of the second half and had a solid performance (still plays so damn far off).
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
Dont know if you guys saw this or not, but there were a couple of plays against the Pats where Jimmy jammed the shit out of Lloyd and Lloyd fell down. One play in particular was Lloyd released to the inside and dropped a would-be 1st down pass because he was so off-balance from being jammed by Jimmy Smith.
That's what he is good at. That's what he was drafted for. I don't know why they would ask him to be or do anything else.
Shannon Sharpe said it during the half-time show regarding Kruger covering Hernandez:
Let them do what they do best. Kruger is a pass rusher, let him rush the passer.
Same thing with Jimmy. He's a press-coverage corner. Let him get up in the receiver's face at the LOS.Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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01-22-2013, 10:17 AM #10
Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
"A linebacker's job is to knock out running backs, to knock out receivers, to chase the football." - Ray Lewis
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
Jimmy played well in the snaps he got in the AFCCG too, as pointed out by birds.
Ex you are right, our drafts have bee a lot better than people origanally thought at the start of the year. People have to remember that its the first time the Ravens have made a push to play young players, so of course there are going to be set backs along the way. But if we continue to pick up at least two or three elite/solid/contributing players every year, we'll continue to be a very competitive team.
Since 08 we have done pretty well in the Harbaugh era, considering where we've been picking too.
08 Rice- Flacco, and Jameel McClain
Rice and Flacco are elite players, and this 08 draft was very much like the 96 draft where we picked two players who are going to be a huge part of the Ravens for decades to come. Jameel McClain has at least been a decent conrtibutor. We also had solid depth for a few years from Zibby at S.
09- Oher, Kruger, Webb, Ellerbe
Oher has potential to grow into a pro bowl caliber RIGHT TACKLE, but is serviceable at best at LEFT TACKLE. Its time that the FO just keep him where he belongs, and he can help strengthen a very solid Oline. Webb is an elite player when healthy, Kruger has shown down the stretch that he is an every down player who can get to the QB on a complimentary basis opposite Suggs, it will be interesting to see what the FO offer him after the SB. Ellerbe has also proven to be a very solid player we found out of UDRFA.
2010- Pitta, Art Jones, McClellan
All three of these players have been hard working guys, and have made a name of them selves on the roster. Pitta stands out to me, as I think he is on the cusp of being an ELITE TE. Art Jones can be an every down starter, is a solid run stuffer, and an underrated pass rusher as a 3-4 end. McClellan very well may be the starter next to Ellerbe at ILB next season, he has shown that he can set the edge very effectively at OLB, and can play ILB at a decent level too. This wasn't the best years tbh though given some of our key misses in the second and third rounds.
2011- Torrey Smith, Pernell McPhee, Jimmy Smith, Anthony Allen
Torrey Smith has turned out to be a steal in the 2nd round that year. I wouldn't put him in the ELITE category yet, but he may well be on the way to getting that status in a newly worked offense. McPhee has shown massive amounts of potential as a 3-4 end, and is a very good interior pass rusher. Jimmy Smith is still a work in progress and has shown glimpses of being a future shutdown corner, or being a bust. I still think Jimmy will get there eventually. He may even get moved to safety to replace Ed Reed next season, who knows? I put Anthony Allen down because he has shown that he's a very good special teams player, but could also potentially make a good goal line back too.
2012- Courtney Upshaw, Kelechi Osemele, Bernard Pierce, Gino Gradkowski
This is turning out to be a very good draft for us, and we've had a significant amount of contribution from nearly every single player from this class. To me, the most promising of the lot is Bernard Pierce, he has Arian Foster type potencial, and is now part of the best 1 2 punch in the league in only his rookie year. KO has shown absolute massive amounts of potential at both guard and OT, and Upshaw looks like he may be a solid replacement for Jarrett Johnson for years to come. Gradkowski had a promising game against Cincy, and came up against their first string Dline and held his own, he looks like a favorite to win the starting C job next season.
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Re: The Ravens have not drafted as bad as thought.
This is a Super Bowl team:
LT: McKinnie (FA)
LG: Osemele (Second Round Pick)
C: Matt Birk (FA)
RG: Marshal Yanda (Third Round Pick)
RT: Michael Oher (First Round Pick)
WR: Torrey Smith (Second Round Pick)
WR: Anquan Boldin (Trade)
TE: Dennis Pitta (Third Round Pick)
FB: Vontae Leach (FA)
RB: Ray Rice (Second Round Pick)
QB: Joe Flacco (First Round Pick)
NT: Maake Kemoeatu (The Ravens drafted him way back, but regained him as a FA)
NG: Haloti Ngata (First Round Pick)
DE: Arthur Jones (Fifth Round Pick)
OLB: Terrell Suggs (First Round Pick)
ILB: Dannell Ellerbe (UDFA)
ILB: Ray Lewis (First Round Pick)
OLB: Paul Kruger (Second Round Pick)
CB: Cary Williams (Practice Squad/FA)
CB: Corey Graham (Even though he plays more in the slot like Webb did, is really a starter) (FA)
SS: Benard Pollard (FA)
FS: Ed Reed (First Round Pick)
22 Starters: 15 Draftees/UDFA's."Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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