Baltimore Ravens: Mel Kiper Predicts OT Ronnie Stanley With No. 6 Pick
By Joe Serpico
ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper has released his first mock draft and has the Baltimore Ravens selecting Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley with the No. 6 pick.
The NFL season has yet to come to a close as eight teams will battle it out for the chance to win Super Bowl 50, but that has not stopped some from shifting their focus to the 2016 NFL Draft.
Mel Kiper, a Baltimore native, has been been a draft analyst with ESPN since 1984 and is one of the most respected names in scouting. He has provided draft news and insight for over 30 years, and has been accurate more times than not.
Kiper released the first of several mock drafts he will conjure up this offseason and has Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa going to the Tennessee Titans with the first overall pick. If Ravens fans were hopeful that Ozzie Newsome would bring in a playmaker on either side of the ball, Kiper does not see that happening. He has the Ravens selecting an offensive tackle with their first-round pick:
The decision to draft Stanley comes with some question marks surrounding the Ravens offensive line. Kelechi Osemele is set to become a free agent, but auditioned to play tackle in the last few games of the season. Some wonder if Ricky Wagner is really the answer at right tackle. Then, there are rumblings that Baltimore could cut ties with Eugene Monroe so it remains to be seen who stays and who goes this offseason.
Many want the Ravens to select one of the top defensive backs in the draft such as Jalen Ramsey of Florida State or Florida cornerback Vernon Hargraves. Others are begging for Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell to team up with 2015 first-round pick Breshad Perriman. If Kiper is right, the Ravens are not going to get that sexy pick that everyone is yearning for.
It would come as no surprise if the Ravens actually went this route as we have already debated whether Laremy Tunsil or Stanley should be the selection at No. 6. Ozzie has a tendency to take the best player available over the biggest need. There is no doubt that the team needs playmakers, but also cannot pass up on an offensive tackle that can protect Flacco for the rest of his career. It would not be much of a shock if the Ravens trade down either.
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These mock drafts are going to start coming rapidly as we approach the April 28th draft and Kiper is sure to release a few more himself. He will likely change the pick a few times before it is all said and done so it’s still too early to get upset that the Ravens went with an offensive lineman over secondary help.
Maybe Ozzie does something out of the ordinary and gets one of those playmakers. However, Kiper knows the track record says best available, and at No. 6, there is a strong possibility that it is Stanley donning purple and black next season.