The Baltimore Ravens made one of the better picks of the first round when they selected former LSU linebacker Patrick Queen with the 28th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Queen played a big-time role on an LSU defense that got to compete against one of the best collegiate offenses of all time in practice on a regular basis. For as good as Joe Burrow and the LSU offense was, their stout defense also played their part en route to an undefeated season and National Championship. Despite the high stakes, Queen consistently met the expectations set for him by coach Ed Orgeron and staff. Queen totaled 85 tackles in 2019, 12 of which went for a loss.
Queen is a natural, fluid athlete with sideline-to-sideline speed. He covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time, and has terrific range in his game. Queen does a great job reading and reacting to the action in front of him, while understanding how the play is developing. He’s also a terrific player in space, and has flashed a skill-set that fits what teams are looking for in today’s linebacker. He’s also a very good tackler, regularly identifying and wrapping up the ball-carrier without much trouble. LSU also asked him to play in pass coverage, and he did his best work when lined up in zone looks.
The Ravens would like to see him do a better job of getting off blocks at the next level, but Queen has the wits and ability to develop this area of his game.
Queen is joining a fast and free-flowing defense that already features play-makers such as the recently acquired Calais Campbell, Matthew Judon, Marcus Peters and Earl Thomas III just to name a few. Queen’s versatility and play-style should fit right in with the Ravens’s talented group of defenders.
