2012 Ravens Draft Thread

[A Perfect Score]

Originally Posted by coordinator0

That's the thing, we as fans don't have anything to base anything on in regards to Gradkowski. The Ravens worked out both Jones and Gradkwoski and they took the player they liked better. I'm going to trust them on this one since they actually have seen both play. From what I did see of Jones I don't think he's anything special, but that's just me.

Like I said before there were reports that teams were concerned about Miller's shoulder(s) holding up in the NFL. You don't take a RB with durability issues. Pierce isn't a split-back like Miller but I don't think the Ravens need that either. That's Rice's role and having a pure runner like Pierce to roate in is nice.

I was under the impression that's what Anthony Allen was for, and in many ways he's alot like Pierce, just not as highly touted. Battering rams are easy to find, it's the dynamic players that are difficult to land. If I'm spending a Top 100 pick on a backup running back when I already have one of the Top 5 RBs in the NFL, he better be a ******* dynamic player...which I don't think Pierce is. We don't need a RB who can come in and take 15 carries a game, we need one who can come in and spell Rice and add some speed and electricity to an offense that is highly predictable and outdated. I wouldn't classify the Pierce pick as bad, but it's certainly not the pick I would have made and it's not one the Ravens would have made in the past, either.

As far as Gradkowski vs Jones, I have to imagine that Flacco's influence played a significant role in that decision (Which is also a mistake). Again, I haven't seen anything on him, but I haven't read a single publication ANYWHERE that has Gradkowski rated anywhere near Ben Jones. In fact, almost every website, magazine, etc. has Jones rated significantly higher...As in, several rounds. I'm not buying it, same as the Pierce pick...They just seem like Harbaugh decisions, whereas Upshaw is much more in line with Ozzie's method of drafting.

Not to mention, Pierce missed 7 games in college due to injury. As nice as it is that he's a bigger back, he's not proven to be any more durable then Miller was at Miami. Food for thought.

[Sloopy]

If we somehow nab up Crick in round four. It would make up for everything :P

[A Perfect Score]

Christian Thompson over George Iloka? Colour me confused yet again.

[Hines]

Originally Posted by A Perfect Score

Christian Thompson over George Iloka? Colour me confused yet again.

Aaron Wilson tweeted that Reed mentors Thompson.

[TACKLE]

I like it. I know he had a really good Shrine week and Bunting loves him. Great athlete who could play strong and free and looks like a core ST guy.

[TACKLE]

Originally Posted by Hines

Aaron Wilson tweeted that Reed mentors Thompson.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that.

[coordinator0]

Originally Posted by A Perfect Score

I was under the impression that's what Anthony Allen was for, and in many ways he's alot like Pierce, just not as highly touted. Battering rams are easy to find, it's the dynamic players that are difficult to land. If I'm spending a Top 100 pick on a backup running back when I already have one of the Top 5 RBs in the NFL, he better be a ******* dynamic player...which I don't think Pierce is. We don't need a RB who can come in and take 15 carries a game, we need one who can come in and spell Rice and add some speed and electricity to an offense that is highly predictable and outdated. I wouldn't classify the Pierce pick as bad, but it's certainly not the pick I would have made and it's not one the Ravens would have made in the past, either.

As far as Gradkowski vs Jones, I have to imagine that Flacco's influence played a significant role in that decision (Which is also a mistake). Again, I haven't seen anything on him, but I haven't read a single publication ANYWHERE that has Gradkowski rated anywhere near Ben Jones. In fact, almost every website, magazine, etc. has Jones rated significantly higher...As in, several rounds. I'm not buying it, same as the Pierce pick...They just seem like Harbaugh decisions, whereas Upshaw is much more in line with Ozzie's method of drafting.

Not to mention, Pierce missed 7 games in college due to injury. As nice as it is that he's a bigger back, he's not proven to be any more durable then Miller was at Miami. Food for thought.

Allen would have been used in the same role but Pierce is a far better player. It seems like we have a different view on the RB positions so we're probably going to have to agree to disagree. With Cameron as the offensive coordinator the offensive system is going to remain highly predicable and outdated so they might as well take players who fit in it, and Pierce is a pretty good player himself as well.

Again, we don't have anything to judge Gradkowski on other than who else was available. I'm not sure what you mean by Harbaugh picks either, Ozzie hasn't been any better or worse than he was before they hired him as the coach.

Pierce missed some games in college but they're not injuries that teams worry about for the future. Having shoulder issues like Miller supposedly does is, and at the RB position that's pretty damning.

[coordinator0]

Originally Posted by A Perfect Score

Christian Thompson over George Iloka? Colour me confused yet again.

I agree with this. Apparently DC likes Iloka a whole lot more than anybody else does.

[Sloopy]

I like it. I think he can be brought along slowly. Might be another case of a guy we could have gotten later though.

Don't know if I prefer him over Iloka either, would have to watch more tape on him

[A Perfect Score]

Originally Posted by coordinator0

Allen would have been used in the same role but Pierce is a far better player. It seems like we have a different view on the RB positions so we're probably going to have to agree to disagree. With Cameron as the offensive coordinator the offensive system is going to remain highly predicable and outdated so they might as well take players who fit in it, and Pierce is a pretty good player himself as well.

Again, we don't have anything to judge Gradkowski on other than who else was available. I'm not sure what you mean by Harbaugh picks either, Ozzie hasn't been any better or worse than he was before they hired him as the coach.

Pierce missed some games in college but they're not injuries that teams worry about for the future. Having shoulder issues like Miller supposedly does is, and at the RB position that's pretty damning.

To be entirely fair, several of the games Pierce missed were due to a shoulder injury as well. I don't know the severity of either injury for either player, but unless Miller's should injury is chronic and extremely likely to happen again, I can't understand the logic behind the pick, especially with the 10 or so other players available who I think would have been a better pick.

The Christian Thompson pick makes more sense if Reed already has a connection, but I'm not sold he's a better player then Iloka, even after watching some more stuff on him. These guys all seem like long term, developmental players...Says alot about how we feel about Ray and Ed and the team's ability to compete in their twilight years. We aren't restocking to win now, we're restocking for the future...Again, I think disappointed is the right word.

[coordinator0]

Originally Posted by A Perfect Score

To be entirely fair, several of the games Pierce missed were due to a shoulder injury as well. I don't know the severity of either injury for either player, but unless Miller's should injury is chronic and extremely likely to happen again, I can't understand the logic behind the pick, especially with the 10 or so other players available who I think would have been a better pick.

The Christian Thompson pick makes more sense if Reed already has a connection, but I'm not sold he's a better player then Iloka, even after watching some more stuff on him. These guys all seem like long term, developmental players...Says alot about how we feel about Ray and Ed and the team's ability to compete in their twilight years. We aren't restocking to win now, we're restocking for the future...Again, I think disappointed is the right word.

That's what I'm assuming the assessment of Miller's shoulder is, if not I don't see why he fell to the top of the 4th round. From what I've read on Pierce his injuries stemmed from the huge amount of carries he had at Temple and that's not going to be a problem in Baltimore.

I have no idea what to think of Thompson.

[BigDawg819]

No offensive playmakers again in the draft, Ozzie you're killing me!

[Sloopy]

We got our big/tall/fast receiver

[coordinator0]

Easily my favorite pick for the Ravens today. Can't believe a guy with his size and speed lasted this long. His hands are a concern but at this point it's worth it. Does our resident Hurricane fan have any thoughts on the pick?

[America]

If Streeter can make a few plays down the field or jump ball opportunities in the redzone, that would be a tremendous help to the offense.

[Sloopy]

I still can't believe we haven't taken a possible heir to Ray yet. Cole just came off the board and our last hope is to pick up Taze in the 7th or as an UDFA

[coordinator0]

Originally Posted by Sloopy

I still can't believe we haven't taken a possible heir to Ray yet. Cole just came off the board and our last hope is to pick up Taze in the 7th or as an UDFA

The Ravens have a ton of depth at LB. At ILB there's Lewis, McClain, Ellerbe, and Ayanbadejo. At OLB there's Suggs, Upshaw, Kruger, Kindle, McClellan, and McAdoo. McClelan can play some ILB too. After the first few guys at the ILB position went there really wasn't anybody else that would have provided much of an upgrade over McCLain and Ellerbe. I think taking an heir to Lewis in this draft was a far bigger priority in the fan's eyes than it was for the Ravens organization. The player they do get to replace Lewis has to have talent. I'm not upset at all that they haven't taken guys like James Michael-Johnson, Tank Carder, Travis Lewis, etc.

[BigDawg819]

The biggest problem with trying to take an heir apparent is trying to hold him on the roster. We have so much depth at positions that roster spots are at a premium. To draft a guy to replace Ray and carry him on the roster would cost us in other areas. Frankly we deal with Ray's replacement when Ray actually retires.

[A Perfect Score]

Personally, I think passing on Audie Cole was a mistake because he's going to be a very solid (if unspectacular) NFL player who would have been a perfect fit in our system, but I think that Asa Jackson and Tommy Streeter were both excellent picks as well. Jackson was one of my favorite CB prospects in this class and I think he's got starter talent down the road.

[TACKLE]

2(35) Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
2(60) Kelechi Osemele, OT/G, Iowa State
3(84) Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple
4(98) Gino Gradkowksi, C, Delaware
4(130) Christian Thompson, S, South Carolina State
5(169) Asa Jackson, CB, Cal Poly
6(198) Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
7(236) DeAngleo Tyson, DT, Georgia


All in all, not a flashy draft but a very solid one. I think four years from now we'll have at least 2 starters and possibly 3 if Gino develops like they expect him to. Upshaw is such a perfect fit. KO should be a starter for us at LG or RT in 3 years max. I still don't have a great feel for Pierce but I don't think we could bank on a 2nd year UDFA & 7th round pick with zero touches between the two. Pierce has a great nose for the endzone too. Thompson is that athletic safety depth we really needed and should be a great ST player. Asa is talented and should battle it out for that #4 CB spot. Streeter is exactly the type of pick you like to see in the 6. High upside H/W/S pick with big play ability and with our current D-Line depth, I think Tyson has a chance to earn a roster spot. I don't know if there's a slam dunk pick other than maybe Upshaw but we addressed all our main needs and got some really solid players across the board. There's not one pick I really have much of an issue with. I like it!

[America]

Asa Jackson will take over PR duties and keep our $50M investment from getting tackled. I think he's an underrated pick.

[America]

Originally Posted by Sloopy

I still can't believe we haven't taken a possible heir to Ray yet. Cole just came off the board and our last hope is to pick up Taze in the 7th or as an UDFA

I don't think the "heir to Ray Lewis" will ever come from a 7th rounder or UDFA.

[coordinator0]

Originally Posted by America

Asa Jackson will take over PR duties and keep our $50M investment from getting tackled. I think he's an underrated pick.

Exactly. I didn't want the team to waste a pick on a CB but Jackson gives us another option at PR. KR too hopefully. I'm thinking Considine or Brown get cut when the final rosters are due. Cook maybe but he's the best special teams player out of the three.

I have no idea who DeAngelo Tyson is, but at least the team tried to get some more depth along the DL.

[Sloopy]

Originally Posted by America

I don't think the "heir to Ray Lewis" will ever come from a 7th rounder or UDFA.

Honestly though I don't think it comes from Ellerbe, McClain, or Ayondebejo either.

A guy in the 7th though may be able to be brought along slowly.

At this point our greatest hope may be that Kindle lives up to his 2nd round billing and can be bounced inside.

I agree that we may have to wait for a replacement for Ray until after he retires (taking someone who is just talented overall in the first or something) but I would have liked to have someone who could be brought along slowly under him.

I still like the idea of signing Taze as a UDFA so we will see.

overall I'd give our draft a B- just because of what I think it could have been.

I think we added some great talent in Asa, Streeter, Upshaw, Pierce and KO.

The other two remain to be seen and may end up being great.

[A Perfect Score]

Originally Posted by America

Asa Jackson will take over PR duties and keep our $50M investment from getting tackled. I think he's an underrated pick.

Other then Courtney Upshaw, Asa Jackson is probably my favorite of our picks.

As of now, I'll stamp a pretty big "meh" on it. I love Upshaw, Streeter and Jackson, but I really don't care for the rest of our draft, especially when we left a ton of premiere talent on the board in the mid rounds.