Our first round pick in 2014

[wickedsolo]

As much as I would love to see the Ravens land a receiver, with where we will be picking (low 20's or higher), I'm just not sure the value is there.

I think trading down is a real possibility.

I also think that one of the OL'men that could be available may be the better pick considering Oher and Monroe are FA's and who knows how KO's back will heal up.

From my perspective, James Hurst, Cyrus Kouandjio, Antonio Richardson, Gabe Jackson and Cyril Richardson are all better players than Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson or that 2nd tier of receivers.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

As much as I would love to see the Ravens land a receiver, with where we will be picking (low 20's or higher), I'm just not sure the value is there.

I think trading down is a real possibility.

I also think that one of the OL'men that could be available may be the better pick considering Oher and Monroe are FA's and who knows how KO's back will heal up.

From my perspective, James Hurst, Cyrus Kouandjio, Antonio Richardson, Gabe Jackson and Cyril Richardson are all better players than Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson or that 2nd tier of receivers.

I agree.

There really are only 2 guys who are sure first round receivers IMHO...Watkins and Evans. Unless the price is right, trading up probably won't happen.

In that case, a lineman on either side of the ball likely should be the pick.


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[bmorecareful]

As much as I would love to see the Ravens land a receiver, with where we will be picking (low 20's or higher), I'm just not sure the value is there.

I think trading down is a real possibility.

I also think that one of the OL'men that could be available may be the better pick considering Oher and Monroe are FA's and who knows how KO's back will heal up.

From my perspective, James Hurst, Cyrus Kouandjio, Antonio Richardson, Gabe Jackson and Cyril Richardson are all better players than Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson or that 2nd tier of receivers.

Well, it depends on what happens with Monroe. IMO he is the #1 most important Ravens FA, and my hope is that they resign him to a decent deal long before he even hits the market.

Oher is not a good player at all and should not be resigned. It seems to me that the team is very high on Wagner and I have to think he's going to be given every chance to be the Ravens RT in 2014. I just don't think RT is a position where the dropoff between a 1st round pick and a 3rd or 4th rounder is all that significant. I'd like to see them add a competitor and depth guy at G/T, but I don't know if it's worth it in the 1st.

I guess I also disagree about what kinds of prospects are going to be good picks in the 1st. I do think there are 4 surefire first-round tackles--Jake Matthews, Cyrus Kouandjio, Taylor Lewan, and Cameron Irving. I doubt we'll have a shot at any of them, but the 2nd tier of OTs (Antonio Richardson, Hurst, etc.) and the guards (David Yankey, Cyril Richardson) are not 1st rounders, IMO. I don't rate any of those guys IMO as top-40 type picks.

I would take Marqise Lee, Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Eric Ebron, or Austin Seferian-Jenkins over any of the 2nd tier of OL if we're picking in the 20's (obviously I'd take Watkins/Evans too, but they probably won't be there.) That's just where I have those guys rated right now.

I think the strength of this draft class is in QB, WR (very very good class of WRs especially if all the underclassmen come out), CB, and DL. At this point, I think the top possibilities for our 1st pick based on my "Big Board" groupings is WR, DL, and TE in that order. I do have a sneaky suspicion that it might end up a DL.

[wickedsolo]

Well, it depends on what happens with Monroe. IMO he is the #1 most important Ravens FA, and my hope is that they resign him to a decent deal long before he even hits the market.

Oher is not a good player at all and should not be resigned. It seems to me that the team is very high on Wagner and I have to think he's going to be given every chance to be the Ravens RT in 2014. I just don't think RT is a position where the dropoff between a 1st round pick and a 3rd or 4th rounder is all that significant. I'd like to see them add a competitor and depth guy at G/T, but I don't know if it's worth it in the 1st.

I guess I also disagree about what kinds of prospects are going to be good picks in the 1st. I do think there are 4 surefire first-round tackles--Jake Matthews, Cyrus Kouandjio, Taylor Lewan, and Cameron Irving. I doubt we'll have a shot at any of them, but the 2nd tier of OTs (Antonio Richardson, Hurst, etc.) and the guards (David Yankey, Cyril Richardson) are not 1st rounders, IMO. I don't rate any of those guys IMO as top-40 type picks.

I would take Marqise Lee, Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Eric Ebron, or Austin Seferian-Jenkins over any of the 2nd tier of OL if we're picking in the 20's (obviously I'd take Watkins/Evans too, but they probably won't be there.) That's just where I have those guys rated right now.

I think the strength of this draft class is in QB, WR (very very good class of WRs especially if all the underclassmen come out), CB, and DL. At this point, I think the top possibilities for our 1st pick based on my "Big Board" groupings is WR, DL, and TE in that order. I do have a sneaky suspicion that it might end up a DL.

Well, I disagree with you about Hurst and Cyril Richardson.

I think after the combine, Hurst will skyrocket similar to Lane Johnson last year. He's got the size and the footwork as a pass blocker. Richardson is the best pure guard in this class. I could definitely see him being a 1st rounder.

I do agree that I'd rather see the Ravens go for a receiver and I ABSOLUTELY agree that Eugene Monroe needs to be locked up in a longterm deal ASAP.

We just have seen the Ravens pass over receivers left and right. I mean, would you rather have Alshon Jeffery over Courtney Upshaw right now? Upshaw is a good player, but Jeffery is a legitimate #1 receiver and has caught 60% of his passes (75 of 127) for nearly 1200 yards. I was very disappointed that they passed on Jeffery.

[bmorecareful]

Well, I disagree with you about Hurst and Cyril Richardson.

I think after the combine, Hurst will skyrocket similar to Lane Johnson last year. He's got the size and the footwork as a pass blocker. Richardson is the best pure guard in this class. I could definitely see him being a 1st rounder.

I do agree that I'd rather see the Ravens go for a receiver and I ABSOLUTELY agree that Eugene Monroe needs to be locked up in a longterm deal ASAP.

We just have seen the Ravens pass over receivers left and right. I mean, would you rather have Alshon Jeffery over Courtney Upshaw right now? Upshaw is a good player, but Jeffery is a legitimate #1 receiver and has caught 60% of his passes (75 of 127) for nearly 1200 yards. I was very disappointed that they passed on Jeffery.

Agree to disagree on the prospect rankings since nobody ever has the same big board and there's no real facts to discuss, just opinions. It could definitely go down the way you write it up and we won't know much until much closer to April (and even then we won't know much period.)

I guess I'm hoping to see the Ravens reverse the trend of passing on talented receivers. Ozzie's troubles drafting the receiver position are extremely well-documented, but that's no excuse to spend only one top-60 pick (Torrey Smith at #58) in 9 years on the receiver position. You just can't get by with dregs at the receiver position, not in this league where every good passing team has 3 or more great receivers.

If Torrey Smith ends the year at his average pace, he'll have averaged just under 1,000 yards and 7 TDs per year through his first 3 years. It's time to draft a second success story at WR.

[wickedsolo]

Agree to disagree on the prospect rankings since nobody ever has the same big board and there's no real facts to discuss, just opinions. It could definitely go down the way you write it up and we won't know much until much closer to April (and even then we won't know much period.)

I guess I'm hoping to see the Ravens reverse the trend of passing on talented receivers. Ozzie's troubles drafting the receiver position are extremely well-documented, but that's no excuse to spend only one top-60 pick (Torrey Smith at #58) in 9 years on the receiver position. You just can't get by with dregs at the receiver position, not in this league where every good passing team has 3 or more great receivers.

If Torrey Smith ends the year at his average pace, he'll have averaged just under 1,000 yards and 7 TDs per year through his first 3 years. It's time to draft a second success story at WR.

Well, Mark Clayton was a first round pick in 2005, but your point is 100% legitimate. Only 2 receivers taken in the first two rounds for nearly a decade.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I have been beating the drum for WR's for a while...but I don't think the answer would be to reach for one...just that we need to stop letting the really good ones slip past us or not make a small...small...move to maybe move up every now and then.

[JCroUSAF]

Tuitt with his injuries I do not think will be worth the pick. I would love Cyril Richardson and possibly move KO to RT. The problem is if the ravens are really looking at a 2nd tier top flight reciever at good value then he would have to be taken in the 2nd which hurts if you want to take the top C or one of the top TE. I just want BPA period. The ravens can get a reciever in rounds 3-4 if they choose to do so. As for C I would much rather sign a proven vet than draft another inexperienced rookie. Btw wicked every mock I've looked at does not have CJ fied in the first round, most have sefarian-Jenkins or ebron. Where do you see him falling.

[bmorecareful]

Well, Mark Clayton was a first round pick in 2005, but your point is 100% legitimate. Only 2 receivers taken in the first two rounds for nearly a decade.

Right, I was counting this year's draft (2014) as being the 9th year if we choose to pass at the position again.

I have been beating the drum for WR's for a while...but I don't think the answer would be to reach for one...just that we need to stop letting the really good ones slip past us or not make a small...small...move to maybe move up every now and then.

Agreed. I was very frustrated when the 49ers took Quinton Patton only one pick ahead of us in the 5th round last year, and instead we used our 5th rounders on John Simon and Kyle Juszczyk... ugh. In 2012 it was Alshon Jeffery (who was my favorite WR in that whole class, maybe tied with Michael Floyd) who would have been so much better of a value pick than Upshaw. In 2010 I wanted Dez Bryant, but my heart was broken when the Cowboys jumped ahead of us by 1 pick to get him (I think we win the Super Bowl if Dez Bryant is on our team that year BTW.)

It's just crazy. The Ravens might be the worst team drafting WRs of the last decade. Torrey Smith might end up claiming the title at the end of the day, but otherwise all of the Ravens' best WRs have been FA or trade acquisitions. The problem is, non-elite WRs usually struggle when changing teams. It's been proven time and time again that the best way to get really good WRs is to get them into your system early and help them grow and develop with a stable background.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Tuitt with his injuries I do not think will be worth the pick. I would love Cyril Richardson and possibly move KO to RT. The problem is if the ravens are really looking at a 2nd tier top flight reciever at good value then he would have to be taken in the 2nd which hurts if you want to take the top C or one of the top TE. I just want BPA period. The ravens can get a reciever in rounds 3-4 if they choose to do so. As for C I would much rather sign a proven vet than draft another inexperienced rookie. Btw wicked every mock I've looked at does not have CJ fied in the first round, most have sefarian-Jenkins or ebron. Where do you see him falling.

I hear what you are saying, but the bolded has pretty much proven to NOT be true for WR.

On the contrary, we have indeed found very good linemen and TE's in that 3rd to 4th round range.

[BigPlayReceiver]

As much as I would love to see the Ravens land a receiver, with where we will be picking (low 20's or higher), I'm just not sure the value is there.

I think trading down is a real possibility.

I also think that one of the OL'men that could be available may be the better pick considering Oher and Monroe are FA's and who knows how KO's back will heal up.

From my perspective, James Hurst, Cyrus Kouandjio, Antonio Richardson, Gabe Jackson and Cyril Richardson are all better players than Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson or that 2nd tier of receivers.

I certainly agree with the logic, we've all knocked this around for the past few years. I'm just a bit late ranking and stacking guys this year, so I have no idea if Lee < Gabe Jackson, for example. I think Kouandjio > Robinson, but are they in a different tier? Not sure.

I actually believe that "need" is absolutely factored into Ozzie's "BPA" algorithm. My only question is to what degree. DL is the 1st round would not be a surprise based upon "need". Remove Art Jones ($$$) and Cody (not re-signed) from the DL, and in the context of "known value", we are old as isht and need to get younger.

[JCroUSAF]

I hear what you are saying, but the bolded has pretty much proven to NOT be true for WR.

On the contrary, we have indeed found very good linemen and TE's in that 3rd to 4th round range.

I agree but with this draft class being extremely seeping can us picking a solid prospect