The Baltimore Ravens currently hold pick No. 22 in the 2019 NFL draft. While the Ravens will likely look to trade back and acquire additional selections in the draft, they might simply be stuck with their first-round pick.
The Ravens will be employing multiple draft strategies as they look to select their first-round prospect. They will be looking for a player who fits a need, but they could also select the best player available if that player has immense talent and potential.
The NFL draft can be unpredictable. Players who are considered top-10 prospects can tumble down boards, leading to steals for those in the second half of the first round. It would be an ideal situation for Baltimore, who have a handful of important needs that require a starter-caliber player immediately.
Let’s take a look at three prospects who could drop to the Ravens at pick 22.
WR, D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss
Metcalf is a freak of nature. He stands at 6-foot-4, weighs 225 pounds and performed exceptionally well at the 2019 scouting combine. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the event with a blazing time of 4.33 seconds.
However, for as well as he did at the combine, there are still some question marks. In spite of his physical traits, he wasn’t very productive at Ole Miss. In three seasons, Metcalf failed to catch 40 passes or go for 650 yards once. In 2018, Metcalf was actually the third-most productive receiver on the team behind A.J. Brown and DaMarkus Lodge. There are also questions around Metcalf’s route running and injury history.
While the Ravens brought Metcalf in for a visit and very likely have him on their board, the depth at wide receiver and his question marks could see him slide out of the top-15 status he seems to hold right now.
LB, Devin Bush, Michigan
Bush would be a great addition to the Ravens’ defense, especially after the loss of Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley in free agency. Right now, Baltimore is relying on Patrick Onwuasor and sophomore Kenny Young to fill the void Mosley left.
Insert Bush, who is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker with blazing speed. Bush put up impressive numbers, as the former Wolverine finished with 182 total tackles and 11.5 sacks in his three years at Michigan.
While the numbers are impressive for Bush, his size has been a major red flag that could hurt his draft stock. He stands at just 5-foot-11, which some pundits believe is too small to be an effective every-down linebacker in the NFL. While Bush has the numbers in college to say otherwise, projecting a player into the NFL isn’t always about pure production.
Despite the concerns about his size, Bush is still likely to get selected within the top 20. However, if he somehow falls to Baltimore at pick 22, they would be wise to snatch him up and stop his fall.
EDGE, Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
Like Metcalf, Sweat has exceptional measurables. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 245 pounds, Sweat is a matchup nightmare for offensive linemen.
Sweat finished his last two years at Mississippi State with 30.0 tackles for loss and 22.5 sacks. He also put up great numbers at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds. His time was the fastest time ever run by a defensive lineman.
If judging on pure talent, Sweat is pretty easily a top-15 prospect. However, it was discovered Sweat has a heart condition. It has been enough to take Sweat off some boards completely, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Whenever medical issues pop up, it’s an instant recipe for a slide in the first round. We’ll see if Sweat falls and how much if he does, but there’s a chance the Ravens could find him available at No. 22.
DT, Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
Simmons is widely regarded as one of the best players in this draft. However, talent isn’t the lone factor when determining where a player lands.
A 2016 incident where Simmons repeatedly punched a woman on video could have teams completely avoiding him. While he’s had no off-field problems since and has gotten glowing reviews from coaches, the potential public relations nightmare alone could have Simmons off some boards.
Add to it a torn ACL suffered preparing for the 2019 NFL draft could affect his availability as a rookie. For a first-round prospect, teams are often looking for immediate production to warrant the high selection. Simmons’ injury could further push him down what boards he remains on.
While Simmons would likely be a top-5 prospect without the injury or off-field issues, he could slide down the first round. The ideal landing spot would be a team like the Ravens who can afford to wait on him and do their part to keep him out of trouble.
