NFL Evaluator: Ravens Got 'Unbelievable Value for Every Pick'
The Ravens' draft class has received high grades from analysts, but NFL front office personnel also are praising the team's draft performance.
The Athletic surveyed NFL evaluators about how the 2021 draft played out, and the Ravens were one of the teams they were most impressed with.
"The Ravens were seen as 'solid as always' by one scout. Another evaluator said they had 'unbelievable value for every pick,'" The Athletic's Dam Pompei wrote. "He was particularly impressed with the selections of two wide receivers, Rashod Bateman in the first and Tylan Wallace in the fourth. He said Wallace would have been a first-round pick if not for knee problems that began with a torn ACL in 2019. 'Lamar Jackson will have a chance to shine with those receivers,' he said.
"He also said pass rusher Odafe Oweh, taken with the 31st selection, would have been a top-10 pick next year had he returned to Penn State for the 2021 season. Third-round picks Ben Cleveland, a guard, and Brandon Stephens, a cornerback, will be above-average starters, in his opinion."
Meanwhile, NFL.com's Adam Schein included the Ravens on his short list of "draft hauls I love," ranking their draft class at No. 4.
"Eric DeCosta, take a bow — again. The Ravens are just so great at owning the draft, and that continued in 2021," Schein wrote. "Sure, the deal that sent Orlando Brown Jr. from Baltimore to Kansas City was awesome for the Chiefs, who needed a left tackle to protect Patrick Mahomes. But from the Ravens' point of view, they landed a premium draft choice in exchange for a player who was never going to play for them again. Even better, Brown, who was originally a third-round pick, essentially turned into first-round pick Odafe Oweh — just watch defensive coordinator Wink Martindale turn the pass rushing prospect into a star."
Schein also liked the selections of Bateman and Wallace, writing that the former is "an instant-impact cat" and the latter "looks like a super strong choice in the fourth round."
Schein added: "That's not all; Georgia guard Ben Cleveland and SMU corner Brandon Stephens, both taken in the third round, were great picks. And I loved the addition of Ohio State corner Shaun Wade, drafted in Round 5. Forget Wade's struggles in 2020; he will thrive in Baltimore's culture."
May 04, 2021 at 08:42PM
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