The Ravens clearly need an influx of talent here.\u00a0 Calais Campbell is gone.\u00a0 Michael Pierce couldn\u2019t stay healthy last year.\u00a0 Justin Madubuike improved but could be a free agent next year.\u00a0 Broderick Washington arguably improved more.\u00a0 Travis Jones had a solid rookie year and we are hoping for more this year.\u00a0 Brent Urban is a rotational piece.\u00a0 Rayshad Nichols has a little talent and could also be a rotational piece.\u00a0 But the Ravens need more.<\/p>\n

The Defensive Linemen Prospects<\/h2>\n

Jalen Carter<\/h3>\n

At 6\u20193 and 314 lbs. from Georgia, Carter is the hands down top interior defensive lineman this year, arguably one of the top five players in the class, and there\u2019s no way he\u2019ll be available to the Ravens.\u00a0 Next.<\/p>\n

Calijah Kancey<\/h3>\n

Kancey is 6\u2019 280 lbs. from Pittsburgh.\u00a0 This is a small man for the interior.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to see him being able to anchor against double teams, which he would have to do in the Ravens scheme over the nose.\u00a0 He\u2019s a gap penetrator who can pressure the quarterback.\u00a0 Kancey has a tremendous first step and knows how to use leverage to get under offensive linemen.\u00a0 He is a classic three-technique defensive tackle (over the outside shoulder of a guard).\u00a0 That\u2019s great on passing downs.\u00a0 The Ravens run defense, however, is frequently predicated on using two five-technique lineman who align on the offensive tackle, with a nose tackle over the center.<\/p>\n

He had one of the fastest defensive tackle forty\u2019s ever run at the Combine (he ran a 4.67 forty).\u00a0 Kancey also has just about the shortest arms of any defensive lineman I\u2019ve seen.\u00a0 This will cause him problems in the NFL in the run game.\u00a0 I think there is too much risk for the Ravens in taking Kancey because of the uncertainty as to how effective he will be on running downs.\u00a0 Where to play him?<\/p>\n

But make mistake, Kancey is an explosive and willing defensive tackle who uses his quickness to shoot gaps and win.\u00a0 He has a very hot motor.\u00a0 He\u2019s a round one talent for some team, but doesn\u2019t fit the Ravens.\u00a0 On my board, he\u2019s a round 2 player.\u00a0 Round 2.<\/p>\n

Bryan Bresee<\/h3>\n

Bresee is 6\u20195 and 305 lbs. from Clemson.\u00a0 Bresee has a lot of physical gifts.\u00a0 He has excellent burst\u00a0 and flexibility with the versatility to play anywhere along the defensive front (especially the five technique).\u00a0 He\u2019s explosive and tested that way.\u00a0 But he\u2019s shown scant ability to redirect, and his pass rush moves are sorely lacking.\u00a0 Bresee can also play too high and come in too hot.\u00a0 He moves very well and will certainly be a force against the run.\u00a0 His hands are powerful and he has shown a good ability to stack and shed linemen.<\/p>\n

The problem is that Bresee has a notable injury history.\u00a0 He tore an ACL in 2021 and missed four games in 2022 due to an infection.\u00a0 And his snap count was quite low when he played in 2022.\u00a0 Bresee is an intriguing talent with some inside, and he may well be on the board if the Ravens draft at 22.\u00a0 But he\u2019s not a clean prospect and I don\u2019t think the Ravens should go there in Round 1, where he likely will be drafted, given the uncertainty associated with him.\u00a0 Round 1-2.<\/p>\n

Mazi Smith<\/h3>\n

Smith is 6\u20193 and 337 lbs. from Michigan.\u00a0 Let\u2019s be clear about Smith.\u00a0 He\u2019s one dimensional, having recorded a total of two sacks in over 600 pass rush snaps.\u00a0 But he is massively powerful on the inside, with hands that destroy.\u00a0 This man is strong and physical.\u00a0 He\u2019s very tough in short areas.\u00a0 He likely won\u2019t chase down many plays for you.\u00a0 Smith\u2019s role in the NFL is obvious \u2013 he\u2019s made to play the zero technique on the nose.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be your anchor against double teams, and you won\u2019t be able to move him.<\/p>\n

This is the type of player who should not see the field on passing downs.\u00a0 He can be lethargic, and just offers nothing as a rusher at this point, lacking consistent explosiveness.\u00a0 Could he improve as a pass rusher?\u00a0 Yes, he has some underlying talent.\u00a0 But I wouldn\u2019t project too much here.\u00a0 For the Ravens, I just don\u2019t see them drafting another nose tackle after Travis Jones last year and with Pierce coming back.\u00a0 At least not in the early rounds of the draft.\u00a0 I believe a basically one-dimensional run stuffer like Smith is not worthy of being drafted before the third round.\u00a0 That\u2019s how I value those types of players.\u00a0 He may well go before then by someone who projects more pass rush ability out of him.\u00a0 Round 3.<\/p>\n

Siaki Ika<\/h3>\n

Ika is a giant of a man at 6\u20194 and 347 lbs. from Baylor.\u00a0 Frankly, he\u2019s too big.\u00a0 But he\u2019s another one of those very powerful nose tackles who can take on double teams and is very difficult to move.\u00a0 Ika is also quicker than one would expect.\u00a0 He is made to play run defense, but at this point is limited in the passing game, though his skillset suggests there is area for improvement here.\u00a0 He has a hard time playing volume snaps (his weight can\u2019t help) and is a guy who can wear down if tasked with too much.\u00a0 But he will swim past centers and is very difficult to get off balance.\u00a0 He has quick feet for a man his size and is very effective in short areas.<\/p>\n

Ika has upside to be more than just a run stuffer supreme.\u00a0 But, as with the other nose tackles in this draft, will the Ravens really draft a pure nose given that they have Travis Jones and Michael Pierce?\u00a0 The answer would only be yes if they intend to move Pierce to the five technique, which I am doubting.\u00a0 Round 2-3.<\/p>\n

Keeanu Benton<\/h3>\n

Benton is 6\u20194 and 309 lbs. from Wisconsin.\u00a0 Benton had a tremendous 3-cone time at the Combine, reinforcing the notion that he has great change of direction for a man this big.\u00a0 He also has a very large wingspan.\u00a0 Benton is an interesting prospect, as he\u2019s a very good athlete and I can see him playing the five technique in the NFL.\u00a0 He has excellent quickness and powerful hands.\u00a0 His pass rushing skills are improving.\u00a0 Benton is tough to move and a stout run defender when he stays low.\u00a0 He will bring it on every play.\u00a0 He sometimes plays too upright, allowing blockers to get under his pads.\u00a0 But when his technique is good, he can destroy run plays.<\/p>\n

Benton was a team captain last year.\u00a0 He\u2019s a guy who can shove his way into the backfield and brings powerful hands, yet has enough quickness to put together a pass rush attack.\u00a0 Benton had a strong performance at the Senior Bowl practices, particularly in pass rushing, as he showed better than expected (and excellent) foot quickness along with the ability to shed blocks.\u00a0 I like Benton quite a bit but unless the Ravens somehow come up with a second round pick, it\u2019s hard to see Benton being available come round 3.\u00a0 Round 2.<\/p>\n

Adetomiwa Adebawore<\/h3>\n

Adebawore is 6\u20192 and 282 lbs. from Northwestern.\u00a0 He ran an astounding 4.49 forty (the only man his size to ever run that fast), which is amazing.\u00a0 He also tested in the 100^{th<\/sup> percentile in the vertical and broad jumps.\u00a0 This guy is a great athlete.\u00a0 He is absolutely explosive and has as good of a first step as you\u2019ll ever see.<\/p>\n}

Now his game is not yet complete.\u00a0 He plays very low to the ground to stay under blocks.\u00a0 He uses his long arms quite well with a variety of moves. \u00a0Adebawore\u2019s hands are very active, and he is able to rip through blocks.\u00a0 He\u2019s a highly motivated player who was a team captain.\u00a0 But when his hands aren\u2019t effective he often has no counter.<\/p>\n

Adebawore had an excellent week at the Senior Bowl practices.\u00a0 He handled much larger offensive linemen with consistency, often dominating in one on ones.\u00a0 His agility and speed were evident.\u00a0 From the Ravens\u2019 perspective, Adebawore has not been consistent so far in setting the edge.\u00a0 Most observers see him as a 3-technique lineman, which would play well on passing downs.\u00a0 I don\u2019t see him as a nose tackle.\u00a0 Therefore, can he play the 5-technique on early downs?\u00a0 Is he another (better?) version of Justin Madubuike?\u00a0 Round 2.<\/p>\n

Grevon Dexter Sr.<\/h3>\n

Dexter is 6\u20196 310 lbs. from Florida.\u00a0 So far in his career Dexter has been a much better athlete than his production implies.\u00a0 He tested very well at the Combine, running a 4.88 forty with very good jump and 3-cone numbers.\u00a0 He is a very agile player for a man of that size who has underachieved, though he\u2019s only 21 years old.\u00a0 When he\u2019s on, he\u2019s able to move blockers easily with good leverage.\u00a0 Dexter provides a very good base in run defense and has been able to hold up very well against double teams.\u00a0 But he\u2019s very slow to get out of his stance, which is a death knell in the NFL.\u00a0 He should be better.<\/p>\n

Dexter needs to further develop his counters and play more consistently with a lower pad level.\u00a0 This is where he has gotten in trouble in the past.\u00a0 He also needs to improve his tackling.\u00a0 Dexter has not always played at full speed, a sign of immaturity.\u00a0 He has good upside as a pass rusher if he can put it all together.\u00a0 In total, Dexter at this point brings excellent traits, but needs to put in the hard work to develop the techniques that could make him an outstanding defender.\u00a0 He must develop a plan as a rusher, as it\u2019s not there yet.\u00a0 I can see him playing both the 3-technique and the 5-technique.\u00a0 But he\u2019s a projection at this point, and not my favorite.\u00a0 The Ravens met with Dexter.\u00a0 Round 3.<\/p>\n

Zaach Pickens<\/h3>\n

Pickens is 6\u20194 and 291 lbs. from South Carolina.\u00a0 Pickens brings a massive wingspan along with excellent all-around athletic testing numbers.\u00a0 He has been one inconsistent player.\u00a0 First round talent sometimes, sixth round talent at others.\u00a0 \u00a0Pickens has a good initial burst and is a one-gap type of player, probably not best suited for the Ravens.\u00a0 I don\u2019t see him as offering a great anchor in a two-gap scheme.\u00a0 His hand technique as a pass rusher is in need of a major upgrade, as illustrated by his Senior Bowl practices where he had a hard time disengaging.<\/p>\n

Pickens is a natural bender.\u00a0 For him, it\u2019s a lot about pad level.\u00a0 He\u2019s nothing special when he plays too high.\u00a0 He just hasn\u2019t put it together as a pass rusher.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure is upside is all that high.\u00a0 I rate him lower than some.\u00a0 Round 4.<\/p>\n

Karl Brooks<\/h3>\n

Brooks is 6\u20193 296 lbs. out of Bowling Green.\u00a0 Brooks brings a very good first step and has very active hands.\u00a0 He uses them to rip and swipe.\u00a0 Brooks is slow down the line and doesn\u2019t offer too much by way of chase.\u00a0 He has good bend and has an ability to free himself against the run.\u00a0 He isn\u2019t best suited to play a 5-technique because he can\u2019t extend far enough.\u00a0 He\u2019s very much a mixed bag.\u00a0 Though he logged a lot of sacks at Bowling Green, I didn\u2019t see enough on tape to think that can translate well in the NFL.\u00a0 With that said, he was fairly effective in the Senior Bowl practices.\u00a0 Round 5-6.<\/p>\n

Kobie Turner<\/h3>\n

Turner is 6\u20192 and 293 lbs. from Wake Forest.\u00a0 At almost 24 years old, Turner is not a special athlete at his position.\u00a0 A bit on the small side, Turner plays tough and has a strong core.\u00a0 He stays on his toes and has powerful hands.\u00a0 Turner brings a great motor, playing with very good balance.\u00a0 He\u2019s tougher at the point of attack than you might think.\u00a0 Turner will chase down the line and down the field.\u00a0 But his short frame makes it harder to disengage once blockers get into his chest.\u00a0 He is not great at taking on double teams.\u00a0 You have to love his effort.\u00a0 But where he fits for the Ravens is a challenged.\u00a0 He can\u2019t play the nose and take on double teams.\u00a0 He\u2019s not Kelly Gregg.\u00a0 Nor is a three-down player.\u00a0 Round 4-5.<\/p>\n

Colby Wooden<\/h3>\n

Wooden is 6\u20194 and 273 lbs. from Auburn.\u00a0 Wooden\u2019s athletic testing was very good and he ran an outstanding 4.79 forty.\u00a0 The initial question for Wooden is: where do you play him.\u00a0 He was an interior defensive lineman in college, but he\u2019s simply too small to play there in the NFL.\u00a0 To me, he\u2019s natural to man the outside as a 5-technique, which would fit the Ravens well.\u00a0 But can he transition there full-time?\u00a0 Wooden brings good lateral agility and has solid usage of his hands.\u00a0 He\u2019s a hard worker, but hasn\u2019t really developed a pass rush plan.\u00a0 Nor is he the greatest of tacklers, and hasn\u2019t shown a consistent ability to blow up blocks.\u00a0 Wooden is a lot of projection at this point.\u00a0 Round 4.<\/p>\n

Jaquelin Roy<\/h3>\n

Roy is 6\u20193 and 305 lbs. from LSU.\u00a0 Roy brings great power but not much movement.\u00a0 He played almost exclusively over the nose at LSU and presents a very good anchor against the run.\u00a0 He can shed blocks.\u00a0 Roy gives great effort but he can play too upright and he has some challenges being able to anchor against double teams.\u00a0 This is why I\u2019m not convinced how Roy would be used in the Ravens\u2019 scheme.\u00a0 I don\u2019t see him stacking at the nose, and I don\u2019t think he\u2019s quick enough to play the 5-technique.\u00a0 Roy is not the type of guy to change direction at a top level.\u00a0 And it\u2019s hard to see him developing much in the way of a consistent pass rush attack.\u00a0 I would pass.\u00a0 Round 5-6.<\/p>\n

Moro Ojomo<\/h3>\n

Ojomo is only 6\u20192 and 292 lbs. from Texas.\u00a0 He brings very long arms, big hands, and tested very well athletically (much better than expected).\u00a0 Ojomo has the physical dimensions you like to see in a defensive tackle.\u00a0 Long arms and a stout build.\u00a0 And he has learned how to use those arms, being able to stand up blockers. \u00a0He is not the most fluid of linemen (a bit stiff), though he is fairly quick out of his stance.\u00a0 But he will power through blocks.\u00a0 Ojomo won\u2019t quit and he will chase.\u00a0 If he were better at disengaging, you\u2019d be more convinced of his impact.\u00a0 Still, there\u2019s upside to his game given his strength, including potentially as a pass rusher.\u00a0 He is probably best suited to play a 5-technique.\u00a0 Round 4-5.<\/p>\n

Byron Young<\/h3>\n

Young is 6\u20193, 294 lbs. from Alabama.\u00a0 Young has enormous hands and a very long wingspan.\u00a0 But his testing was poor.\u00a0 He\u2019s a guy who doesn\u2019t bend all that particularly well and has below average explosiveness.\u00a0 But he is strong and uses his hands well.\u00a0 He is reasonably well suited for a two-gap defensive scheme in stopping the run, though he could stand to put on more bulk to reach maximum effectiveness.\u00a0 Yet, his lack of agility and second move quickness limit what he can bring, especially away from the nose.<\/p>\n

Young is fairly stiff and is certainly not a twitchy player.\u00a0 He certainly looked that way at the Senior Bowl practices, where I thought he was unimpressive.\u00a0 I see him as fairly one-dimensional and not likely to offer much as a pass rusher.\u00a0 Young is not a great finisher.\u00a0 Although he brings a very good motor, it\u2019s hard to see him as a desirable player from the Ravens\u2019 perspective.\u00a0 Pass.\u00a0 Round 4-5.<\/p>\n

Keondre Coburn<\/h3>\n

Coburn is 6\u20191 and 332 pounds from Texas.\u00a0 Coburn brings exceedingly short arms to the table.\u00a0 He\u2019s been a very inconsistent player over his career.\u00a0 Coburn is strong, with decent explosiveness and reasonably good bend.\u00a0 His hand usage needs work.\u00a0 He is able to consistently get under offensive lineman\u2019s pads.\u00a0 He is also the type of player to wear down fairly easily.\u00a0 Coburn will strictly be a one-trick pony in the NFL as an early down run defender.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like to draft those types of players, and the Ravens under Eric DeCosta have tended to stay away from them.\u00a0 To me Coburn is just another power defender against the run who doesn\u2019t offer much else.\u00a0 Round 6.<\/p>\n