The 2019 NFL draft is approaching quickly. Most of the team visits are over and draft boards are being finalized. Now, it’s more about speculation as we look ahead to what could happen in the first two days of the draft. Naturally, that means mock drafts.
I used Fanspeak’s mock draft simulator to help me predict what the Baltimore Ravens will do in the 2019 NFL draft. Using the NFL Big Board and Fanspeak’s team needs, I pretended to be Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta for a bit.
To add realness to the mock draft, I turned on trades and got quite a few offers. While most trade offers were awful values, I kicked things off with the trade many are hoping Baltimore is able to pull off on draft day.
First round:
When the No. 22 selection was up, I had two trade proposals pop up. With plenty of quality still on the board, it made sense to move back.
One of the offers came from the Cleveland Browns. They were going to give up second-round (No. 49), third-round (No. 80), fourth-round (No. 119) and fifth-round (No. 155) selections in exchange for the No. 22 overall pick.
The New England Patriots are one of only a few teams with two second-round selections and they threw them in their trade offer. They were willing to send two second-round (No. 56 and 64) picks as well as two third-round selections (No. 97 and 101) in exchange for the Ravens’ first-round pick.
I chose to deal with the Patriots, giving me two second-round picks and four third-round selections to take advantage of all the depth on Day 2. Take a look below to see who I grabbed with the new picks.
Second round:
No. 56 – WR, Parris Campbell, Ohio State
Wide receivers went early and often in the second round. Before I had a chance to pick, four more wide receivers came off the board. But with so much depth here, there were a few prospects on the board I felt were good grabs late in the second round, choosing Campbell.
Campbell is an interesting prospect to scout because he was kinda thrown everywhere on the field at Ohio State. But he has the right traits to become a serious threat in the NFL.
He’s ridiculously fast, putting up a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL scouting combine. That speed allows him to work outside as a deep threat or inside where he can make something happen with the ball in his hands. Campbell is also adept at blocking, something Baltimore has repeatedly stated they want in their wide receivers.
Campbell is a unique threat that would pair well with quarterback Lamar Jackson both through the air and on the ground. In some circles, Campbell was a first-round pick, making him a relative steal here by just about all measures.
No. 64 – C, Garrett Bradbury, NC State
This is another potential first-round talent that dropped down to me thanks to the jump on offensive tackles and wide receivers earlier.
Bradbury is the exact player Baltimore is looking for in this draft. He’s a smart player with tons of strength and athleticism. He’s a mauler as a run blocker and can stay stout in pass protection. While he still has some technical issues to work out, he’s one of the more polished offensive linemen in this draft and would likely be an immediate starter at center for the Ravens.
Third round:
No. 85 – RB, David Montgomery, Iowa State
Montgomery is largely considered to be the second-best running back in this draft class. The run on wide receivers, pass rushers and offensive linemen early in the draft helped free Montgomery to drop to the third round in spite of a second-round grade.
Given an NFL comparison to Kareem Hunt, Montgomery is an exciting talent. He’s doesn’t have breakaway speed but his patience, toughness and vision allow him to have a serious impact. He’s solid on third downs, both as a blocker and a receiver out of the backfield.
Montgomery could start immediately for some teams but will have a chance to develop in a rotation initially in Baltimore. I see him as a guy who will have a chance to take over the starting role in a year or two.
No. 97 – EDGE, Christian Miller, Alabama
I thought about taking Miller with the last pick but was hoping he’d still be available 11 selections later. I got lucky here since he was the top pass rusher still on the board throughout the entire third round.
Miller is still pretty raw, both physically and technically. He needs to add some more bulk and strength in the weight room to become a three-down outside linebacker. But immediately, Miller’s long arms, tenacity and speed will have him taking snaps as a pass rusher.
No. 101 – WR, Riley Ridley, Georgia
I think this is the right spot for Ridley. He’s got a good frame at 6-foot-1 and 199 pounds and uses all of it when out on routes. He’s physical, can catch and knows how to use his body to shield the ball from defenders. Ridley isn’t very fast but has enough speed to be sent deep occasionally.
Ridley is a possession receiver through and through, which is something the Ravens don’t have enough of right now. While he might not ever become a star wide receiver, he’s a guy you can count on in each game to make tough catches and move the chains — a perfect fit in Baltimore’s offense.
No. 102 – CB, Kris Boyd, Texas
Boyd is a big cornerback with serious toughness. He’s still raw in a few facets of his game but will have time to develop in Baltimore as they have a good stable of talent already there.
Boyd needs to improve his footwork and ball tracking as well as just becoming more consistent on a play-by-play basis. But at 5-foot-11, 201 pounds with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, Boyd would make solid depth early on with quite a bit of upside.
