No Chance Baltimore Ravens Draft Randy Gregory

This time of the year is fun because it is all an unknown. The NFL Draft intrigues us because we have no idea how it’s going to turn out.

Every major sporting news source has their own mock drafts, playing the guessing game along with the fans. Most of these mocks have the Baltimore Ravens in the market for a cornerback, wide receiver or tight end in the first round.

Then in a conference call with season-ticket holders, Steve Biscotti threw a little wrinkle into the discussion when he said that a pass rusher is where he would like to see the first pick spent.

“I’m going to throw you a curve ball, and I’m going to tell you pass rusher,” Biscotti answered when asked about what direction the Ravens might go in the first round.

That might surprise a few of you. I have already released my prediction for the Ravens first-round pick, and explained why I thought a defensive lineman would probably be the choice. What is kind of a shocker is that they brought in Randy Gregory for a visit, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.

There is no denying his talent. He is disruptive coming off the edge, recording 17.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss in his two seasons at Nebraska. He was named to the All-Big Ten first team and a third team AP All-American. At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Gregory fits the mold of a prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker. He ran a 4.64 40-yard dash and bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times at the combine. He continued to impress at Nebraska’s Pro Day, and was a projected top-10 pick in the upcoming draft.

Then came the report that Gregory tested positive for marijuana at the drug test at the NFL Combine. Teams were already aware that he had already tested positive twice in 2014 while at Nebraska, and this is strike three in less than a season.

Hear those sirens? That’s every team on full alert that Gregory has a problem.

"I don’t wake up every day saying, I’d really love to go smoke,” Gregory told NFL.com. “It’s not a struggle for me every day, it really isn’t. In the past, hell yeah, it’s been a struggle. It really has been.”"

You think there is a shot that Ozzie Newsome takes a chance on someone who admitted to smoking pot in the same offseason he’s released two players for driving under the influence? No way.

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In the past, the Ravens might have been able to pull it off. They could have gotten away with saying “it’s just weed” and they will get the problem taken care of. Things have changed mightily in Baltimore since last summer. The Ravens have done all the right things to change the image of the ball club. A season of turmoil will alter how a team operates. For the Ravens, it has been for the better.

So while some analysts project that Gregory could slip to the back half of the first round, don’t expect the Ravens to be players. Biscotti might want a pass rusher, and Gregory is arguably the best in the draft, but there are plenty of other options at No. 26 that don’t carry the baggage.

It might be difficult for the Ravens to pass on Gregory because of his on-the-field production, but they will. He only has himself to blame.

Next: Ravens bring in Matt Schaub to backup Flacco