Baltimore Ravens Rookies Forecast

By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell





Solid Starter

Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame – Round 1
The Ravens are already pushing Stanley into the starting left tackle job as they let Eugene Monroe go. Stanley (6-5, 312) is ready to play immediately after gaining good experience at Notre Dame. He has a developed body with the physical skill set to be a good left tackle in the NFL.

In pass protection, Stanley really excels. He has quick feet with the length to shut off the corner from speed rushers. Stanley also is able to adjust to inside moves and keep defenders from pressuring the quarterback. Stanley is very good at mirroring speed rushers coming off the edge. He has issues with physical defensive ends, but he does have the strength in his base to anchor. Some teams felt that Stanley wasn’t all that physical with defenders and needs to become meaner in the ground game. He is a tap dancer who can handle fast edge rushers. Stanley would be best in a passing-driven offense.

Stanley has the ability to be a franchise left tackle in the NFL, but some teams questioned his love of football. I think that Stanley will be a solid starting pro, but I think the lack of passion of the game could mean that he will be a quality starter but may never be one of the best at his position in the league.



Most Likely To Bust

Bronson Kaufusi, DE, BYU – Round 3
Kaufusi may not be a bust, but I could see him being a disappointment. The 6-foot-6, 285-pounder fits well as a five-technique in a 3-4 defense. He has good size and length at the point of attack to hold up blockers and help free up edge rushers. However, many expect five-techniques like Kaufusi to contribute in the pass rush, and I think he could have some problems in the NFL.

In watching Kaufusi at BYU, he did well when he was freed up in space. That was where he achieved a lot of his sack production. Kaufusi struggled though to shed blocks, and I think that issue is going to be a serious problem in the NFL with better offensive linemen than what he was used to in college. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kaufusi continues to have problems with that and ends up getting rotated out of the game in passing situations.

I think that Ronnie Stanley and Kamalei Correa were much safer selections among the early rounders. Kaufusi may not be an outright bust, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he is a disappointment and is just average in the NFL.



Potential Boom Pick

Kamalei Correa, OLB, Boise State – Round 2
The Ravens need to develop some young pass-rushers as Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs are aging. Baltimore’s once elite defense has declined as the team has had issues in the secondary and in the front seven. Grooming some young pass-rushers is critical for the Ravens to reestablish their defensive prowess.

Correa was a dangerous edge defender for Boise State over the past few seasons. He had seven sacks as a senior and 12 sacks in the previous season. Correa is a high-energy rusher who hunts after the quarterback in a relentless style. The 6-2, 243-pounder needs to add strength to improve his run defense and could stand to be more physical in the ground game. However with Dumervil and Suggs in place, Correa went to a perfect landing spot where he will have time to develop. Dumervil and Suggs are also great players for him to learn from.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Correa doesn’t have a big impact as a rookie or in his second season, but once those veterans are done, he could break out as the heir apparent and be a boom pick for Baltimore.



Future Depth Player

Tavon Young, CB, Temple – Round 4
Young (5-9, 180) is a gritty corner who battles receivers, but he is very undersized for the NFL. Sources say Young is really good at running with receivers and preventing separation, but the size issue limits him to being a slot corner or backup. Young could compete to be the third corner, but looks limited to being a nickelback who plays in the slot or the dime cornerback. He lacks the size to lineup on the outside and that makes him a backup for the NFL. Young may never be a starter, but he should be a good depth player for Baltimore.





Walt’s 2016 NFL Draft Grades:

6. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame C- Grade
Over Laremy Tunsil? I wonder if Tunsil’s bong picture/video had something to do with this. Still, picking Stanley over Tunsil doesn’t make much sense. Some teams told us that they were scared of Stanley’s lack of passion for the game. They were also concerned about Stanley not being tough enough. That would terrify me if I drafted him. Plus, passing on Tunsil in the process just doesn’t seem like a smart move, given how talented Tunsil is. The Ravens have done well with chracter-issue guys in the past, so I don’t really understand this.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

42. Kamalei Correa, DE/OLB, Boise State A- Grade
This pick, in a vacuum, is probably worth a “B.” I heard some buzz about Kamalei Correa possibility sneaking into the end of the first round, but he definitely belonged in the middle of the second frame. The reason I’ve bumped this up to an A-, however, is because Baltimore was able to trade down twice. Smart teams understand the importance of accumulating as many picks as possible, so it’s no surprise that the Ravens have begun doing so once again.

70. Bronson Kaufusi, DE/DT, BYU B Grade
It’s definitely not a surprise to see the Ravens drafted a five-technique defensive lineman, as they lost Chris Canty in free agency and needed to find a replacement. Bronson Kaufusi is highly athletic and possesses major upside. He needs to work on being more consistent, but I think this is a solid pick.

104. Tavon Young, WR, Temple B Grade
I mocked Tavon Young to the Ravens in the fourth round, so I can’t really give this a bad grade, can I? I thought that Young was going to be a solid fit in Baltimore’s defense. He figures to be a strong nickel, and he obviously addresses the team’s biggest need. Baltimore should still look into adding another corner.

107. Chris Moore, WR, Cincinnati A- Grade
I didn’t like what the Ravens did in the first round, but they’ve picked well since then. Chris Moore is a tall (6-2) receiver with some major game-breaking ability. He’ll be able to stretch defenses, and he could’ve gone earlier than this if it wasn’t for some injury concerns. Kudos to Ozzie Newsome though for buying low, as usual.

130. Alex Lewis, OT, Nebraska B+ Grade
There was some buzz that Alex Lewis would be chosen on Day 2, so the Ravens are getting value here, as far as that’s concerned. Lewis has the potential to start at left tackle at some point in the future, but he needs some work. In the meantime, Lewis will provide needed depth at the position.

132. Willie Henry, DT, Michigan A Grade
It figures that Ozzie Newsome would hit on one of his supplemental picks, where he has thrived over the years. Everyone was talking about Andrew Billings being a ridiculous steal, and rightfully so, but Willie Henry turned out to be a great bargain as well. Henry can generate a solid pass rush, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he emerged as a starter in a year or two.

134. Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech A Grade
It’s amazing how some of the talented running backs in this class slipped in the draft. I don’t know exactly why, but it’s further proof that taking a back in the top-five picks is pretty ridiculous. The Ravens will be happy with Dixon, who was very productive at Louisiana Tech and then tested well at the Combine. Running back was needed, so why not draft a talented runner at this spot?

146. Matt Judon, DE/OLB, Grand Valley State B+ Grade
If Matt Judon tested better in terms of measureables or played on a higher level, he might have gone in the third round. He was highly productive at Grand Valley State, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he eventually emerged as an important player for the Ravens – though he’d have to likely leap Kamalei Correa to do so.

182. Keenan Reynolds, WR, Navy A- Grade
I have to imagine that Bill Belichick will be crying himself to sleep for months after missing out on Keenan Reynolds. The Navy star had “Patriot” written all over him as another Julian Edelman-type player. The Ravens will surely make great use of him, and he’s a great character guy to have in the locker room.

209. Maurice Canady, CB, Virginia B+ Grade
Maurice Canady is a corner with good size (6-1, 193) and athleticism; he was one of the better testers at his position at the Combine. So, why did he fall to the sixth round? He constantly struggled with consistency at Virginia and needs to develop into a good football player. However, with good coaching, he has the tools to evolve into a quality corner. He’s well worth the risk at the end of Round 6.

2016 NFL Draft Team Grade: B . Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.

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