Bold predictions for Ravens rookies expected to start or contribute: Patrick Queen
The Baltimore Ravens are expecting major contributions from several members of their 10-man rookie class. At least seven of them are currently competing for starting spots or will have significant roles in their inaugural seasons. Despite not having any semblance of a real offseason due to COVID-19, many of them have stood out and impressed coaches and teammates alike in training camp.
While it is a tall task to ask or expect first-year players to hit the ground running and become immediate difference-maker let alone stars from the jump in a normal year, here is the first of the bold predictions series for some of the Ravens rookies that are expected to be starters or at least key contributors in year one.
ILB Patrick Queen wins AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
The Ravens top pick in the 2020 NFL draft was a trending pick to bring home the top individual honor that could be awarded to a first-year defender all summer and I’m predicting that he becomes the third player in team history to win it and the first since Terrell Suggs burst on to the scene by breaking the franchise’s rookie sack record in 2003 with 12 in 16 games as a rotational player and situational pass rusher.
He was the most hyped rookie heading into training camp and the one everybody wanted to see. While some of his offensive counterparts have stolen some of his thunder with their flashy plays in practices, Queen has been flying around and looking as good as advertised according to reports and the coaches themselves. He is also the only rookie that is already penciled in as a starter heading into Week One as the MIKE linebacker.
Not only does the first-round pick hailing from the reigning college football national champion LSU Tigers possess all of the physical traits, instincts, and other intangibles to dominate from day one in the middle of Baltimore’s defense, much last year’s LSU team, the 2020 Ravens are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball.
He’ll have a loaded defensive line in front of him occupying blockers so he can flow freely from sideline to sideline and make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. Behind him, he’ll have still arguably the best secondary in the league even without Earl Thomas.
Queen will likely be among the league leaders in tackles as a rookie like former Raven and four-time Pro Bowler CJ Mosley was in 2014 during his rookie year where he finished seventh in combined tackles with 133 in 16 games, all of which he started. Mosley was also a first-rounder that hailed from an SEC powerhouse program and shares some of the very same traits that make Queen such a stud.
Mosley narrowly lost to the Rams’ Aaron Donald in the voting for DROY that year by a tally of 25-18. Queen’s chief competition for the award this year is likely former Ohio State star defensive end Chase Young who was selected second overall by the Washington Football Team. While pass-rushers typically are the favorites to bring home the hardware the next closest position is off-ball linebackers.
Queen will have to record 100 plus tackles along with some other flashy stats like multiple sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles, and pass breakups. In addition to all his total tackles, Mosley also recorded eight tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, two interceptions, three sacks, eight pass deflections, a forced fumble as well as one recovery of a loose ball.
Essentially, a linebacker that lines up off the ball has to make plays all over the field from the passing game in coverage as well as a blitzer to the run game as a tackling machine behind the line and in the open field.
Last season his fellow LSU alum Devin White who was selected fifth overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers logged 121 combined tackles, four of which were for loss, five quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, three recoveries, two of which he returned for touchdowns, 2.5 sacks an interception and three pass deflections in just 13 games.
However, it still wasn’t enough to beat out last year’s second overall pick who also played collegiately for the Buckeyes, Nick Bosa, who emerged as one of the most dominant defensive forces in the game once he got healthy but still didn’t even record double-digits sacks despite appearing in all 16 games including 14 starts.
I stated all of the recent and not too distant histories of the award to provide realistic context that it won’t be easy and even if Queen does put up Pro Bowl to All-Pro caliber production, it still might not be enough to get him the nod over whatever rookie pass rusher shines the brightest. The last off-ball linebacker to win DROY was Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts who was also earned First-Team All-Pro honors.
Total production prediction: 130 total tackles, 12 of which will be for a loss, 5.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, four interceptions, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
