Baltimore Ravens Draft: Fourth-Round Picks Bring Depth

The Baltimore Ravens draft continued today by using all five picks in the fourth round, and have added some depth and potential future starters in this round.

Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens draft room was busy during the fourth round as Baltimore had five picks to use. Many thought they would move around in the round, but they stayed put and added five more players in this round alone.

A day after using their second- and third-round picks on pass rushers, the Ravens went after their others needs today. They used their first two picks on a cornerback and wide receiver, which we thought they would draft earlier.

Many are criticizing Ozzie for not taking the big name players, but he is sticking to his draft board. He has said repeatedly that the players they have drafted rated better than what fans and media projected. Many wanted Laremy Tunsil over Ronnie Stanley and Noah Spence over Kamalei Correa. That likely continued on the third day of the draft.

Let the experts do their job and we can judge them down the road. Here’s a look at the Ravens picks in the fourth round.

It came much later than anticipated, but the Ravens have drafted a cornerback. After watching some of the top corners in the draft go on the first two days of the draft, Tavon Young will be the one manning the secondary next season.

As a Temple alum, I love the pick and felt he was underrated entering the draft process. Young will likely start his NFL career in the nickel covering smaller slot receivers. He had a fantastic 2014 season, but regressed a bit in 2015. He loves to get physical with receivers and makes plays on the ball. That’s what they need from a secondary that finished with just six interceptions last season.

Young is from Oxon Hill, Md. and it’s likely that his size scared teams away. He is 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, but like all Temple players, he is scrappy and tough. The Ravens know they got a guy who is going to work his tail off and fight for the ball on any intended pass. Baltimore needs a nickel corner and he could be a perfect fit.

As with a corner, the Ravens waited on drafting a wide receiver until their second pick in the fourth round. They went with Chris Moore from Cincinnati, a deep threat to complement Joe Flacco‘s rocket arm.

Moore averaged over 22 yards per catch in his last two seasons, something the Ravens were lacking last season. He is a bigger receiver at 6-foot-1, but he is limited in his route running and lacks the hip movement to be effective in open space. He is the definition of a one trick pony at this time until he learns how to run a route tree.

It will be interesting to see what his role is with this team. Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman are expected to be the deep threat for Flacco, and Moore is not nearly the burner that the other two have to offer. He will be a developmental project in his first season who could contribute down the road.

Ozzie adds another tackle in the fourth round that will likely be a project and could move into the starting lineup if there is a an injury. One thing is certain, he can’t be much worse than James Hurst, who was blocking on the play that Flacco got hurt.

Lewis has the ability to be a swing player on the offensive line, but his primary positio is likely at right tackle. He has the size and length to stick around in the NFL, but will be a project for Juan Castillo to mold.

The Ravens do not necessarily need another tackle on an already impressive defensive line, but Willie Henry still being on the board is what taking the best available player means.

Henry is an athletic man for a 6-foot-3, 303 pound defensive lineman who will likely man the 3-technique in the Ravens scheme. He has great burst up the field, disrupting plays in the back field and getting after the quarterback on a consistent basis. His 6.5 sacks in 2015 were tied for the team lead at Michigan, a surprise from a 3-4 end.

Some believe that Henry has the talent to develop into a starter at defensive end. He’s drawn comparisons to Star Lotulelei, a type of player the Ravens would love to add to their roster. If Baltimore can untap that potential, they could have another stud on their defensive line.

This pick might get the most attention as many felt Kenneth Dixon would be off the board in the second or third round. Instead, he fell to the Ravens with their last pick in the fourth round.

Dixon was remarkably productive while at Louisiana Tech, posting over a 1,000 yards rushing in three seasons. He rushed for 917 yards in his lone season in which he didn’t hit the 1,000-yard mark, but he was battling a knee injury much of the season. He also exits FBS history as one of the top scorers with 87 touchdowns in his collegiate career.

The Ravens have now taken a running back in the fourth round in the last three seasons (Javorius Allen and Lorenzo Taliaferro). Dixon fits the team’s running style. He has some shiftiness in the open field, but is not afraid to stick his head in there when necessary. Where he fits in with a team already loaded at running back remains to be seen.

Next: Ravens Add Another Pass Rusher in Bronson Kaufusi

Ozzie is hoping that by stockpiling so many fourth round choices, at least a few will pan out for him. The Ravens have added quality some players in the fourth round, and still have two more picks to go.