The Ravens waited until the seventh and final round of the 2020 NFL Draft to add a piece to their already deep secondary. They bring in Iowa safety Geno Stone with pick No. 219, who was the 2nd-team All-Big 10 in 2019.
Stone plays with incredible instincts and has a nose for the ball, as evidenced by his eight turnovers over his last two seasons. He also has the strength needed to cover receivers and tight ends over the middle and keep them from running a flawless route. Stone isn’t afraid to come up in run support, as he doesn’t wait to make a run to the ball carrier.
Stone lacks the speed and height to truly be a ball-hawking safety in the NFL, running a 4.62-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. His lateral quickness is a problem as well, showing up mostly when he gets beat in the red zone. His height and inability to adequately high point a jump ball means that he could get feasted on by the superb competition in the NFL if used in more direct coverage.
As a hybrid deep and box safety, Stone could be an intriguing depth option with some upside for Baltimore. The Ravens don’t need someone great at safety, but they do need depth behind Earl Thomas and Chuck Clark, which they get in Stone.
