ESPN Draft analyst Mel Kiper is widely considered one of the best in the business. So when he does a mock draft, people tune in to what he says. In his latest mock draft, and the first two-rounder he’s done this offseason, Kiper stuck with a familiar face for the Baltimore Ravens.
For the fourth time in four mock drafts, Kiper has the Ravens picking LSU linebacker Patrick Queen at No. 28.
The Ravens lost a few defensive linemen this offseason, but they upgraded by trading for Calais Campbell and signing Derek Wolfe. What they haven’t replaced, however, is inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, who left the team in free agency last year and whose absence was felt throughout the 2019 season. Queen, a run-and-hit linebacker with stellar instincts, could fill that void. With Marshal Yanda retiring, guard is another option here.
With Michigan offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz going off the board a pick earlier to the Seattle Seahawks and the top pass rushers already gone, Queen makes a lot of sense for Baltimore here. As many other mock drafts having Queen fall to the Ravens have pointed out too, Kiper noted the loss of linebacker C.J. Mosley from last offseason still hasn’t been adequately replaced.
However, Baltimore doesn’t necessarily need to go linebacker early on. Ravens director of college scouting Joe Hortiz has pointed out that there are going to be linebackers available later who do individual things really well. If Baltimore wants to build up their depth chart at the position and not drop an early pick, they should be able to find one or two linebackers on the second or third day of the 2020 NFL Draft that can fill individual roles.
Even still, Queen is a solid pick that would immediately fill the void in the middle of Baltimore’s defense. With their other offseason additions added in, the Ravens should have one of the best defenses in the league with Queen a centerpiece for at least the next few years.
Let’s see who Kiper has Baltimore grabbing in the second round with their two picks. Click to the next page to find out.
With two picks in the second round, the Ravens should be able to find some more immediate starters. However, with few needs really remaining, Baltimore doesn’t have to reach for a player that fits a need and can instead let their draft boards come to them.
With such a deep wide receiver class, Kiper has the Ravens dipping their toes into that water, selecting TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor at No. 55.
Reagor was a touchdown waiting to happen in the Big 12, but he was let down by poor quarterback play last season, and he had too many drops in 2018. Still, I have a second-round grade on him because of his athleticism and ability after the catch. The Ravens have one diminutive speedster in Marquise Brown, but Reagor could provide some pop in the passing and return game in 2020.
As Kiper alluded to in his explanation, Reagor showed off blazing speed in college. While he only ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, his game film shows a player who can outpace defenders downfield and who can make guys whiff with the ball in his hands.
Teamed up with Brown, it would give offensive coordinator Greg Roman a ton of speed to force defenses into defending deep while giving quarterback Lamar Jackson another guy who can catch a quick pass and make amazing things happen afterward.
To help round out Baltimore’s offensive needs, Kiper has the Ravens grabbing Temple offensive lineman Matt Hennessy.
With Marshal Yanda retiring, the Ravens will have an open competition for his vacant right guard spot, and Ben Powers, R.J. Prince and Patrick Mekari are expected to be involved. Hennessy, a three-year starter at center for the Owls, could win that job. The Ravens want to run the ball — they set the NFL single-season record with 3,296 rushing yards in 2019 — so they need to find a road grader to replace Yanda and keep their offense rolling.
While there is no direct replacement for a Hall of Famer like Yanda, Baltimore has a few guys already on the roster who can step up into the starting role. But as we saw last offseason, the Ravens love having a competition for these starting spots and another option in the form of Hennessy isn’t a bad idea.
Hennessy is more athletic than a bruising option inside. But as Jacob Infante from Draft Wire pointed out in his scouting report, Hennessy is smart and uses his hands and leverage to win consistently.
