It’s mock-draft season around these parts. With the 2019 NFL draft coming up at the end of April, every analyst is creating more and more mocks to see how the boards will shape up on draft day.
Luke Easterling of Draft Wire put together a full seven-round mock draft. It features a unique look at the early rounds that could be primed for the Baltimore Ravens to trade back and pick up even more selections. Take a look at all eight picks Easterling made for Baltimore and a quick analysis of each one.
First round – No. 22: Hakeem Butler | WR | Iowa State
While the Ravens desperately need help at wide receiver, there’s no way I see them making any selection at No. 22 if the draft board looks like this. Wide receivers A.J. Brown, Kelvin Harmon, Marquise Brown, N’Keal Harry and Deebo Samuel are all still on the board, along with running back Josh Jacobs, defensive lineman Zach Allen, offensive tackle Cody Ford. With Baltimore seemingly destined to trade back this year, this is an ideal situation to make it happen.
Even if the Ravens have to make a selection at No. 22, Butler seems like the wrong choice to me. Butler has inconsistent hands and is raw as a route runner — two things Baltimore should have learned to run away from by now. While Butler is blazing fast and offers huge upside after the catch, he’s not a prospect I feel is a must-have in the first round.
Third round – No. 85: Ben Powers | OL | Oklahoma
Powers is a great selection in the third round that should be in the competition for the starting left guard job in 2019. While he’s not perfect in any one phase of his game, he’s got a nasty streak to his run blocking and is decent in pass protection. Even if he doesn’t start this season, Powers would be a good backup initially and a potential heir to Marshal Yanda as early as next season.
Third round – No. 102: Christian Miller | EDGE | Alabama
With only three outside linebackers currently on the roster, the Ravens need help at pass rusher. While there’s hope Tim Williams and/or Tyus Bowser pick up their play and production in 2019, having more potential there is never a bad thing.
Miller is a developmental prospect with high upside. He’s a little thin right now and needs to get stronger to become a three-down linebacker. But, he’s got some speed and pass rushing ability to earn some immediate snaps in a rotation.
Fourth round – No. 113: Damien Harris | RB | Alabama
I absolutely love this pick. While I think Josh Jacobs is the better running back, Harris is a fantastic consolation prize much further down the board. Harris is more of a straight-line, bowl-you-over type of running back than his former teammate. But with surprising speed for his thicker frame, he’s got enough juice to get to the second level quickly and make defenders pay for getting in his way.
Harris isn’t as adept of a pass catcher as Jacobs is but is still capable and sure-handed enough to be a pressure relief valve for quarterback Lamar Jackson. His split with Jacobs at Alabama means Harris doesn’t have as much wear on his body as you’d expect for his running style, giving him a longer NFL life.
Harris is an absolute steal who would see the field as a rookie and likely be groomed to be the Ravens’ main back within a year or two.
Fourth round – No. 123: Joe Giles-Harris | LB | Duke
With the departure of linebacker C.J. Mosley in free agency, Baltimore could use a little more young talent to fill the void. At this point in the draft, prospects are more developmental guys and depth pickups rather than expected starters.
Giles-Harris is a big, smart linebacker who loves to hit. The knock here is Giles-Harris is too slow for coverage, thus making him an early-down linebacker. Realistically, Giles-Harris would get his start as a special teams player and factor into the Ravens’ depth at inside linebacker.
Fifth round – No. 160: Dillon Mitchell | WR | Oregon
Mitchell is the perfect picture of these late-round prospects. He’s shown some serious upside with the ball in his hands but has a few red flags that push him down this far. Mitchell isn’t particularly fast, he drops passes and his route running is really raw. But the few big plays he had with Oregon gives you enough flashes to know what he can do if he can put it all together.
Sixth round – No. 191: Tim Harris | CB | Virginia
For a team that loves cornerbacks, it should be no surprise the Ravens pick up one here. Harris has the size teams love in a cornerback at 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds but injuries made him a forgotten man. However, a good showing at the East-West Shrine Game might have done enough to ensure he gets drafted, albeit late. A developmental prospect, Harris will have to earn his way onto the roster with special teams play, a great training camp and preseason.
Sixth round – No. 193: Jordan Ta’amu | QB | Ole Miss
Many might be wondering why Baltimore would be selecting a quarterback at all since they have Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin already signed. Ta’amu is really just a camp arm at this point in the draft. With a good arm, touch and mobility, Ta’amu is a perfect selection to be the third quarterback in training camp and the preseason.
