Baltimore Ravens Draft Recap 2022
We are one week removed from the 2022 NFL draft and while we may not know how well the Ravens draft was for at least a few years. Many experts have hailed this Ravens draft as one of the best in recent memory.
Through seven rounds the Ravens drafted 11 players with six of them coming in the fourth round. The Ravens kicked off the first round by drafting Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with the 14th overall pick. Hamilton was ranked as the best safety in the draft as well as a top ten player by several draft outlets.
The Ravens weren’t done however after trading receiver Marquise Brown to the Cardinals in return for their first round pick the Ravens selected Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum with the 25th selection.
The Ravens entered night two of the draft with one selection in the second as well as one selection in the third round. The Ravens first selection of night two could possibly be the steal of the entire draft. After tearing his achilles at his pro day in March, Michigan defensive end David Ojabo saw his draft stock fall.
Luckily for the Ravens one of the highest rated defensive ends in the draft fell to the second round, right into the Ravens lap with the 45th pick. Ojabo reunites with his former Michigan defensive coordinator and current Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. While it remains unclear when exactly Ojabo will make his Ravens debut, the organization is hopefully he be an impact player for years to come.
Travis Jones a defensive tackle from UConn would be the Ravens final pick of day two. Jones could be a day one contributor for the Ravens across the defensive line as he is a prolific run stopper and has the ability to reach the quarterback recording 8.5 sacks in three seasons.
The Ravens began day three of the NFL draft with a total of seven picks, six in the fourth round alone. Going into the day it looked unlikely that the Ravens would use all six of their fourth round picks, likely opting to trade some of the picks for future draft capital.
But Eric DeCosta and the Ravens stuck to their plan using all six fourth round picks to draft for need. With their first pick of the fourth round the Ravens selected Daniel Faalele, a 6’8, 384 Ibs tackle from the University of Minnesota. Faalele, who’s former roommate at Minnesota is current Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman, is set to become the biggest player to ever play in the NFL. While Faalele has size he is also very athletic and could look to fill the void that waas left by former Ravens and current Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown Jr.
The Ravens would go on to select Alabama cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis with pick number 119, followed by Charlie Kolar, a big bodied tight end out of Iowa State with their third fourth round selection.
The Ravens fourth pick of the fourth round was met with some questions from Ravens fans as they selected Penn State punter Jordan Stout. With a fourth round pick being used on a punter it likely means the end for longtime Raven, punter Sam Koch. While Koch is a fan favorite Stout is a very reliable replacement as he was ranked as one of the best punter in the draft. A strong leg as well as the ability to kickoff, taking the load off of Justin Tucker, Stout could be a steal for the Ravens.
With the 139th pick the Ravens selected their second tight end of the draft, tight end Isaiah Likely from Coastal Carolina. Likely comes from one of the most exciting offenses in college football, an offense that saw him play not only tight end but also wide receiver and even occasionally running back. The Ravens hope that Likely can fill the void left by former tight end Hayden Hurst. While Likely is not as big as Hurts his size and speed alone could make him a matchup nightmare for linebackers and defensive backs.
The Ravens would use their final pick of the fourth round on Damarion Williams a cornerback from the University of Houston.
The Ravens finished their 2022 draft by selecting Missouri running back Tyler Badie with the 196th pick in the sixth round. Badie has great special teams potential as well as the possibility to slide into the RB3 role behind startes Gus Edwards and J.K Dobbins. Badie is most known for his exceptional pass catching ability out of the back field which could allow him to see the field as a dynamic playmaker at the running back position.
With 11 total picks the Ravens were able to draft a lot of high value players that fill several needs and add depth at others. The biggest take away from the Ravens draft was that they were able to draft three players in the first two rounds that had first round projections. Hamilton, Linderbaum, and Ojabo had all been mocked in the first round and while Hamilton and Linderbaum were selected in the first. Ojabo could very well be the best pick of this entire draft once he returns to the field from his injury.
Overall the Ravens at least on paper had as good a draft as any team, and filled several holes on the roster that had been causes of concern since the end of the 2021 season.
The Ravens have also signed 17 undrafted free agents who will be apart of rookie minicamp. The most notable of these signings is wide receiver Slade Bolden out of the University of Alabama. Bolden helped the Crimson Tide to a National Championship in 2020, while catching 24 passes for 270 yards and one touchdown which came in the title game. In four seasons Bolden caught 68 passes for 712 yards and four touchdowns.
Bolden will come to the Ravens with a chance to compete for the starting punt and kick returner position, a spot currently held by pro bowler Devin Duvernay. As the Ravens look to get Duvernay more involved in the offense, Bolden could take over as the starting returner as he was a sure handed and reliable returner for the Crimson Tide.
Another notable undrafted player that will be in attendance at Ravens rookie minicamp is former Navy linebacker Diego Fagot. Fagot is a familiar name around the state of Maryland as he was the leader and captain of the Navy football team. Fagot is an instinctive and smart linebacker that totaled 282 tackles in his four year career. Fagot could be a strong special teams player early in his career and while Fagot may be a long shot to make the Ravens final roster, his affiliation to the state of Maryland makes him a player to follow and root for as the offseason rolls on.
Listed are the remaining Ravens UDFA signings:
- Shemar Bridges, Wide Receiver, Fort Valley State
- David Vereen, Cornerback, Newberry
- Raleigh Webb, Wide Receiver, The Citadel
- Chris Moore, Safety, Georgia State
- Makai Polk, Wide Receiver, Mississippi State
- Anthony Brown, Quarterback, Oregon
- Trevon Clark, Wide Receiver, California
- Zakoby McClain, Linebacker, Auburn
- Jeremiah Moon, Linebacker, Florida
- Ricky Person Jr., Running back, North Carolina State
- Josh Ross, Linebacker, Michigan
- Chuck Wiley, Outside Linebacker, Texas-San Antonio
- Denzel Williams, Defensive Back, Villanova
- Devon Williams, Wide Receiver, Oregon
- Rayshad Nichols, Defensive Tackle, Stephen F. Austin
- Aron Johnson, Offensive Line, South Dakota State
The Ravens will hold their rookie minicamp beginning on Friday and concluding on Saturday.
