The Baltimore Ravens are putting the finishing touches on their draft board and gearing up for the 2020 NFL Draft. With this draft class being especially deep at many positions, the Ravens will have no shortage of good prospects to choose from. However, there are some positions that Baltimore will be looking to target more than others.
Running back has been the most controversial position of need for the Ravens in this draft, with some not seeing it as a need at all. While there are some exceptionally talented runners in the 2020 draft class, the Ravens have three productive running backs of their own in Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill. But with Edwards and Ingram not guaranteed to be back for 2021, and Baltimore’s typical best-player-available strategy, the Ravens could look to address a future need here in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Let’s take a look at eight top running backs the Ravens could select in the 2020 NFL Draft.
RB D’Andre Swift, Georgia
Swift leads a talented top half of the 2020 running back draft class. He racked up 2,885 rushing yards at 20 touchdowns on the ground while also adding 666 receiving yards and five touchdowns catches over three years at Georgia. Swift is dynamic in the open field and can use his lower body strength to run over guys standing in his way.
But just because Swift is the top running back doesn’t mean he’s going to go in the top-10. Running backs aren’t valued like they once were and Swift could easily fall to Baltimore at No. 28.
RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
If Swift is No. 1, Taylor is 1.5 in this draft class in many peoples’ eyes. He’s been prolific over three years at Wisconsin, stacking up 6,174 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns over that time. He’s an impressive blend of size, power, and speed that could fit seamlessly in Baltimore’s offense.
Taylor can accelerate and decelerate on a dime, he’s got impressive elusiveness for his size and has shown good vision as a running back. He’s also physical when he runs, busting through arm tackles and defenders that hope to just knock him down with a big hit. That translates well to his pass blocking as well, making him a true three-down running back.
However, all his production comes at a pretty lofty cost. Taylor has 926 rushing attempts on his body already with another 42 receptions. As we’ve seen too often in the NFL recently, running backs are a quickly used up commodity and there have to be some concerns about Taylor’s previous workload.
RB J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
Dobbins dominated the competition in college and added his name to a long list of productive Ohio State running backs. He averaged 6.2 yards per rushing attempt throughout his three years at Ohio State and 10.7 yards per reception in 2019.
Dobbins has great acceleration and can make knee-busting cuts on a dime, making him dangerous in the open field. He’s also a physical runner who punishes defenders. Dobbins can be solid in pass protection, something Baltimore will surely be looking at if they’re considering adding a running back to their roster through the draft. Though Dobbins was productive as a receiving option out of the backfield, he could use a little more polish there.
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
Edwards-Helaire has earned comparisons to former Ravens running back Ray Rice. Partly because of his smaller stature but also because of how he plays the game.
Edwards-Helaire is extremely shifty, using good footwork and burst to get through pileups and into open space. When he has grass in front of him, he’s got enough straight-line speed to pick up extra yards and force defenders to choose good angles. But don’t let the speed and agility fool you, Edwards-Helaire has some surprising power in his small frame with great balance, making him tough to bring down.
Edwards-Helaire is also a polished route runner coming out of the backfield and has great hands, especially with the ball already secured. However, his size is a detriment in pass protection, where bigger defenders can simply overpower him and longer pass rushers can keep him from getting into their pads.
Edwards-Helaire could be too good to pass up in the second round considering his scheme fit with the Ravens.
RB/WR Antonio Gibson, Memphis
Gibson is a unique prospect in that he’s actually primarily more of a wide receiver than a running back, catching more passes in 2019 than getting rushing attempts. While that might cause some pause, wondering about his polish as a running back, his game film shows a playmaker regardless of where he’s at on the field.
A thick lower half gives Gibson some power and on the outside against defensive backs, he’ll just chug through arm tackles. He’s got good balance, keeping his feet against harder hits and moving forward for plus yards when wrapped up. He’s got speed but it’s his long, flowing strides in the open field that can see him pull away from defenders. Quick change-of-direction agility isn’t as great but it’s enough to make guys miss one-on-one.
As a wide receiver primarily at Memphis, Gibson obviously knows how to catch the football and adds versatility there. However, his routes come off a little sloppy and rounded, which won’t give him a lot of separation underneath. He also struggled to find open holes in zone coverage.
Where Gibson is a bit of a project to reach his full potential, his special teams ability and versatility would fit in perfectly with what Baltimore needs right now. They’d move him all over the field to create mismatches and use him opposite Marquise Brown to stretch the field.
RB Zack Moss, Utah
Moss would be an intriguing option for the Ravens in the middle rounds of the 2020 draft. He’s been productive at Utah, going over 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in each of the last three years.
Moss is a power back at 5-foot-9 and 223 pounds, showing good balance and physicality to run through defenders. But he also has a good burst and good enough speed to take carries into the second level. Moss has good vision and patience as a runner, allowing him to use his strength to his advantage to bust through holes.
Moss has enough athleticism to be a receiving option out of the backfield, but that’s not really his strong suit. He has the size and physicality to become a good pass blocker but needs some polish on that to become more consistent.
Moss’ power running would be a good fit for Baltimore’s punishing inside rushing attack. With both Gus Edwards and Mark Ingram playing the same role currently, Moss could be an heir to one or both down the line.
RB Anthony McFarland, Maryland
A local prospect and the son of former first-round pick defensive tackle “Booger” McFarland, Anthony McFarland is another running back who the Ravens could take later in the draft if they feel that they don’t want to spend an early pick on the position. He has a unique skill set that could translate very well to the NFL.
McFarland has some of the best acceleration in the class and can stop on a dime to make crazy cutbacks. He uses his low center of gravity to keep his legs moving and fight for extra yards. However, he only had 269 total touches throughout his collegiate career. McFarland is more of a project at this point, something that the Ravens could look for because of the presence of Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill on the roster. If McFarland falls to the 4th or 5th round, Baltimore could pounce.
RB A.J. Dillon, Boston College
Dillon is a power back with phenomenal speed for his size, and if Baltimore wants to groom him behind Mark Ingram he could be a deadly piece in the Ravens’ offense for years to come.
Dillon brings a lot to the table. He’s an absolute bruiser who punishes anyone in his way but uses his surprising speed to break away from defenders in the open field. He moves piles, breaks tackles, and is a load to bring down on almost every play. He also wears the defense, which is something the Ravens’ offense is centered around. Dillon and his playstyle fit right into that mold. If he’s available in the fifth round, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Baltimore nab him.
