Ravens 7-round mock draft: Hitting offensive needs early, adding defensive depth late (2024)

There is perhaps more uncertainty than usual for the Baltimore Ravens heading into this year’s NFL Draft. That can be partly explained by them picking 30th, making it tough to gauge all the scenarios that could play out before they’re even on the clock for the first time. There’s also the matter of the Ravens having a litany of needs, rather than just one or two positions where help is wanted.

But there are certain things you can expect from the franchise come draft time. The Ravens will adhere to a “take the best player available” drafting approach. They won’t chase need. They’ll be aggressive in moving around the board, particularly if opportunities arise to accrue more draft picks. And general manager Eric DeCosta will already have a deal or two in the works to add a veteran free agent in the days that follow the draft.

As DeCosta and the Ravens continue preparations for the 2024 draft, which gets underway on April 25, their needs have been well documented. There are questions about three of the five starting offensive line spots. In an annual rite of the offseason, Baltimore needs wide receiver, outside linebacker and cornerback help. Depth would also come in handy at running back, inside linebacker and safety.

The Ravens have nine picks to address some of those holes: one each in the first, second, third, fifth and sixth rounds; and two each in the fourth and seventh rounds.

Let’s make a series of guesses on how they’ll use those picks in our first Ravens seven-round mock of the 2024 draft season. And let’s start with a trade:

Ravens trade pick No. 30 to Las Vegas Raiders for Nos. 44 and 77

If one of the better offensive tackles is still available, such as Georgia’s Amarius Mims or Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, or a top cornerback, such as Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, the Ravens should stand pat and make a pick. However, the bet here is those guys won’t be available and Baltimore is looking at several players who grade out similarly to the options it’ll have at No. 44. Trading back and setting up for a significant Day 2 of the draft would make sense.

According to trade charts, moving back 14 spots and out of the first round while picking up a relatively early third-round pick would represent a win for the Ravens. The Raiders, though, want a quarterback in this draft. Getting back into the first round to land Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or Oregon’s Bo Nix, thus getting a fifth-year option year on the player, for the cost of a third-round pick is a small price to pay.

Round 2, No. 44 (from Raiders): Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

This is about as far as the Ravens could trade back and still get the plug-and-play right tackle they need after dealing Morgan Moses to the New York Jets. There will be enticing cornerback and wide receiver options available, but there’s far more depth at those positions where Baltimore can find quality help later in the draft. The top tackles, though, will go early. Suamataia is one of the second-tier prospects who figures to come off the board either late in the first round or early in the second.

Suamataia is big (6-foot-4, 329 pounds), athletic for a guy his size and has experience playing right and left tackle. He has the necessary footwork and physical traits to perform in different blocking schemes. There are questions about how high his ceiling is, and there are things he’ll need to work on, but the Ravens believe they have one of the best offensive line coaches in Joe D’Alessandris and they’ll have confidence they can get the most out of Suamataia.

Round 2, No. 62: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

Melton, a fast-rising prospect, has so many traits the Ravens look for in corners. He offers size and length at 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds. He can run (he was timed at 4.39 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine). He has ball skills (eight college interceptions, four fumble recoveries and 22 pass breakups). He can play both outside and in the slot. He’s also a skilled special teams performer, having blocked four kicks in college. That he had a great Senior Bowl week, which the Ravens put a lot of stock in, is icing on the cake.

Baltimore has starting corners Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens returning and several slot options, including Arthur Maulet, Ar’Darius Washington, Damarion Williams and safety Kyle Hamilton. However, the Ravens are reminded every year that they can never have enough cornerbacks. Plus, the position is a future concern with Humphrey coming off an injury-marred season, Stephens heading into his free-agent year and Jalyn Armour-Davis and Williams yet to prove they can stay healthy. Adding a starting-caliber cornerback should be a priority in this draft, and Melton would check that box.

Round 3, No. 77 (from Raiders): Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

In recent weeks, Ravens officials have let everyone know they are confident in their current wide receiver group, which features Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace and Sean Ryan. But it’s highly unlikely that DeCosta won’t take a swing at adding another pass catcher for Lamar Jackson, particularly with the talent and depth in this year’s wide receiver class. It would feel like a missed opportunity if he didn’t.

Polk is projected as a Day 2 guy after a breakout final college season in which he had 69 catches for 1,159 yards, averaged 16.8 yards per reception and scored 10 touchdowns. He’s not a burner, but he has good hands and a wide catch radius. He plays to his size at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, and he’s adept at snagging jump balls and making contested catches. He’d help diversify a wide receiver corps that lacks size and jump-ball ability.

Ja'Lynn Polk high pointing and snatching a couple of throws against Michigan State pic.twitter.com/rd0mVPbJJb

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) February 19, 2024

Round 3, No. 93: Dominick Puni, G, Kansas

In Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Josh Jones, the Ravens have enough internal starting guard candidates that they won’t feel like they have to reach at the position. But if the right guy is available, they won’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Puni, who spent four seasons at Central Missouri before finishing at Kansas, played tackle for part of his college career but projects as a guard at the next level.

Puni is well-built at 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds and has very good feet for a big man. His pass blocking is ahead of his run blocking, but the total package and his experience suggest he’ll be ready to compete for a starting job from the jump.

Round 4, No. 113 (from Jets): Trey Benson, RB, Florida State

It wasn’t that long ago when it felt like a given that the Ravens would select a running back on Day 2 or 3 of every draft. Yet, they’ve taken only one back over the past three drafts, and it was Tyler Badie in the 2022 sixth round. This draft sets up well for them to get a midround ball carrier, and it’s a need even after the signing of Derrick Henry. Justice Hill is a solid backfield complement to Henry, but the only other two running backs on the roster are undrafted free agents Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright. Mitchell’s status for the start of the season is uncertain after he sustained a major knee injury in December.

Benson is a big back at 6 feet, 216 pounds, but he also registered a 4.39 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine. He’s hard to bring down and improved as a pass catcher and in blitz pickup during his time at Florida State. He didn’t get a heavy workload, so he doesn’t have the wear and tear on his body like other running back prospects. That should matter to a Ravens team that has had trouble keeping running backs healthy. Benson is projected to go in the third round, but so many running backs are grouped together that a few of them are bound to slide.

Round 4, No. 130: Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest

Safety is an underrated need for the Ravens. While they love their starting duo of Marcus Williams and Hamilton, they don’t have another safety on their roster unless you count Ar’Darius Washington, who has been used more in the slot. That is problematic with how much the Ravens like to move Hamilton around and with how much time Marcus Williams has missed over his two seasons in Baltimore.

At 5-foot-10, 209 pounds, Mustapha lacks ideal size and length, but he plays with physicality and aggression and is a strong tackler. He fits the profile of a special teams standout who will develop into a reliable No. 3 safety.

Stiff where 😂😂😂 https://t.co/3QR1BeHFaj

— Malik Mustapha 🇳🇬 (@_malikmustapha) March 28, 2024

Round 5, No. 165: Javon Solomon, OLB, Troy

With Kyle Van Noy’s return, the Ravens don’t have to draft an edge rusher. They, however, shouldn’t turn down an opportunity if the right prospect is available. Solomon would be a high-upside pick by an organization that has found Day 3 pass-rushing gems before. He’s undersized at 6-foot-1 and 246 pounds, and there will be questions about the level of competition he faced in college, but it’s hard to quibble with the production. He had 33 sacks and 49 1/2 tackles for loss in his college career, and he led the FBS with 16 sacks last year. He’d be a nice developmental pass rusher for Chuck Smith to mold.

Round 6, No. 218 (from Jets): Jordan Jefferson, DL, LSU

The entire Baltimore interior defensive line is returning, so this isn’t an immediate need. However, it could be one soon with Brent Urban and Michael Pierce in their 30s and Urban eligible for free agency after 2024. Jefferson (6-foot-3, 313 pounds) had very modest college production at West Virginia and then LSU, totaling 90 tackles and six sacks over five seasons. But his quick first step and physical ability make him a worthwhile late-round flier.

Round 7, No. 228 (from Jets): Michael Barrett, ILB, Michigan

Can you do a mock draft that doesn’t include the Ravens taking at least one Wolverine? They’ve drafted a Michigan player in five of the past eight drafts. At this point of the draft, the Ravens will just be looking for a player who has a chance to make the team and contribute on special teams. Barrett played a ton of football in Ann Arbor, and while he lacks prototypical size (5-foot-11, 233 pounds) and explosiveness for an NFL inside linebacker, he plays with impressive physicality and effort — and he has extensive special teams experience.

Round 7, No. 250: Lideatrick Griffin, WR/RS, Mississippi State

Griffin (5-foot-10, 181 pounds) is a slot receiver who put up decent college numbers, finishing last season with 50 catches for 658 yards and four touchdowns. It’s his ability as a kick returner, though, that puts him on Baltimore’s radar. He was one of the most dangerous returners in college football, averaging over 30 yards per kick return over his career and scoring two touchdowns. With Devin Duvernay, a Pro Bowl returner, now in Jacksonville, the Ravens will need to settle on a new return man this summer.

(Photos of Kingsley Suamataia, Ja’Lynn Polk and Max Melton: Rob Gray / USA Today; Steph Chambers, Rich Schultz / Getty Images)