Liar's Luncheon 12:05pm

**Doctor** · 04-30-2014, 12:02 PM

Ravens Pre-Draft press conference, which is always informative and interesting, is getting ready to start any minute at BaltimoreRavens.com.

I'll take notes as they talk so those who can't listen at work will get the talking points shortly after it ends.

**Gabe** · 04-30-2014, 12:05 PM

Tried to tune in. Notice said video no longer available. OOPs, on now

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 04-30-2014, 12:21 PM

DeCosta: "Try and get as many picks as you can and pick the best players available"

Interesting. Not news, but just interesting ot hear him say it

**Dirt1** · 04-30-2014, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by runrayrun27

DeCosta: "Try and get as many picks as you can and pick the best players available"

Interesting. Not news, but just interesting ot hear him say it

Especially when paired with this. I keep having to remind myself that this is the "liar's luncheon" though.

Ozzie Newsome: Teams have called wanting to move up

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ng-to-move-up/

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 04-30-2014, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

Especially when paired with this. I keep having to remind myself that this is the "liar's luncheon" though.

As much as it is, it's not like it doesnt happen. He likes to move back and get picks to have flexibility, but yeah I knwo what you mean. I'm not investing too much into what they say

**pslholder96** · 04-30-2014, 12:35 PM

What honestly do you think the ravens are "lying" about this time? That teams have called them about their pick or that they themselves would be interested in trading back and compiling more picks? They have history of not standing pat in the first round. Between 2006 and 2013, they've either moved up or down in the first round 6 of the last 8 drafts. I expect them to do the same again this year.

**jonboy79** · 04-30-2014, 12:38 PM

The "Liar's luncheon" is always a fun mix of truth and smokescreen... when you look back on this thread after the draft you will see moments of complete honesty, and other moments of complete smokescreen. Hard to tell what is what in advance however.

**Doctor** · 04-30-2014, 12:44 PM

-They think it's a solid draft, but came up short of agreeing that it was "the deepest draft in decades". Deep at certain positions, but others, you'll be lucky to get a player after the 3rd round.

-Ozzie has already fielded calls from teams interested in moving up, specifically mentioned moving back 4,5,6 spots, and still likely being able to get a player that they'd consider at #17.

-Harbaugh thinks it's important to add a RB, but then went through a laundry list of other positions that are also important. DeCosta listed 5-6 RBs that he liked, made a point of saying that there would be good players available in the 2nd,3rd,4th.

-Safety class is described as having a lot of versatility, players that are interchangeable between FS / SS. Joe Ortiz specifically mentioned Clinton-Dix as a traditional FS, whereas Pryor and Deone Bucannon are more hybrid types who can play Deep Center as well as come up to support the run.

-Ozzie says there are not many situations under which he would move up, but if one or two players start to get REALLY close to our pick, they would look at what they could do.

-DeCosta says that Linebacker is deep and varied. They like the players we have on the roster now, but if the board falls a certain way, we'll take the best player available.

-CB position. Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson will get the first priority to take advantage of the opportunity, but Ozzie says you can never have too many corners. Ortiz says 10-12 guys go in the first two rounds every year. If there is a guy who ends up as the highest guy on the board, they'll take him. Harbaugh says it depends on when they might get a guy. If they take one early, they're probably not looking too much at that position later.

-Ozzie on Compensatory Picks. The Ravens love picks. Everyone wants to select more players. They don't specifically ignore the FA Market, but they do value those picks, because it helps them maneuver with their other, natural picks.

-On small-school players. DeCosta believes that scouting has gotten better, so the Ravens have dug deeper into the small school market, as a way of gaining an advantage over other teams. The tricky part is projecting those players from the lower level of competition. Seeing them at the Senior Bowl, All-star games, etc is helpful, but part of it is projecting how much better those small school guys will get once we have them in our building, with legit coaching, a pro-style weight room, etc.

-On Brady Quinn, we were trying to trade into the same spot that Cleveland eventually traded into. Cleveland offered more than Ozzie was comfortable giving up to move into that spot.

-On the pre-draft information overload. Ozzie / Harbaugh don't pay ANY attention to the media, and don't listen to anything coming out about the individual players. They watch the tape, talk to the players, speak with people in the organization and at the college level that you trust, and let your scouting drive the decisions.

-Decosta said that there are 180 players with a "draftable" grade on our board, and that we'll likely have a good crop of Undrafted players available after the end of the draft.

-On Backup QB spot. Ozzie thinks that getting a backup is a priority not only because Flacco has thus far avoided serious injury, but also because Tyrod Taylor is headed into his last year under contract, and we have to cover ourselves for 2015, 2016, and 2017 in the event that Taylor gets a better opportunity elsewhere. Salary-wise, it's easier to bring in a guy from the draft, because they're at a lower cap figure, but with some of the veterans, obviously, you can get players that might have a familiarity with Kubiak's system.

-Joe Hortiz LOVES Terrence West. He and Joe Douglas (our National scout) were texting back and forth about historic RBs that West reminds them of.

-WR position. Ozzie thinks it is a very strong, deep position. You could draft a player in any of the 7 rounds.

**Flacco Machado** · 04-30-2014, 12:51 PM

Sounded like Oz got a little choked up there at the end. Is it conceivable to think this may be his last draft?!?! I'm probably making more out of this than I should. But, I don't remember Ozzie ever doing that before. He was basically saying, "sit back down, I got something to say."

**Rxdoxx** · 04-30-2014, 12:51 PM

TY, nice reading, appreciate your effort is posting it.

Any link to a re-run of it so I could listen/watch?

So there are 2 players we would consider trading up for if they fall close ,,,, hmmmmmm

**pslholder96** · 04-30-2014, 12:52 PM

Thanks for summarizing. Your second point kind of narrows down who might have been calling.
What I find interesting is players who are specifically mentioned by name. Has their ever been a time that the ravens actually got somone they mentioned during their previous pre draft meetings with the media. I don't recall and highly doubt it. Having said that this leads me to believe the Ravens know these specific players won't be available when their pick comes up.

**pslholder96** · 04-30-2014, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Flacco Machado

Sounded like Oz got a little choked up there at the end. Is it conceivable to think this may be his last draft?!?! I'm probably making more out of this than I should. But, I don't remember Ozzie ever doing that before. He was basically saying, "sit back down, I got something to say."

I didn't watch but exactly what did he do and say?