<
        >

          NFL Nation

          From Ravens' perspective, they suddenly have a top-four draft pick

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterApr 20, 2016, 03:12 PM ET
            Close
              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
            Follow on X

          The Baltimore Ravens officially hold the No. 6 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, but it's really a top-four selection from their viewpoint.

          The Ravens are in line to take one of the top four prospects on their draft board after the Philadelphia Eagles traded with the Cleveland Browns to move up to the No. 2 spot. This comes six days after the Los Angeles Rams acquired the No. 1 pick in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.

          If the Rams and Eagles both draft quarterbacks -- which is a likely assumption based on the bounty of picks given up -- Baltimore will have a shot at either Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner, Ohio State defensive end/linebacker Joey Bosa or UCLA linebacker Myles Jack.

          If the Cowboys shake up the draft again at No. 4 by picking Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott -- which is what ESPN's Louis Riddick predicts will happen -- the Ravens will face a scenario in which they will choose between three of those five highly rated prospects. All five are regarded as the top player at their position in this draft.

          It's easy to make a case for all five of those players getting picked by the Ravens:

          • Ramsey is the playmaking corner who can help a defense that ranked last in the NFL with six interceptions last season and can team up with Jimmy Smith to become one of the top young cornerback combinations in the league.

          • Tunsil can end the revolving door at left tackle since Jonathan Ogden retired after the 2007 season and protect the blind side of Joe Flacco, who is coming off season-ending knee surgery.

          • Buckner is the prototypical 3-4 defensive end who would fill the starting spot that opened up after the release of Chris Canty and team up with Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan to form a top-notch front.

          • Bosa is considered by some experts as the top overall prospect in this draft and is the type of young pass-rusher the Ravens want to pair with Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, both of whom are in their 30s.

          • Jack will significantly improve the Ravens' speed on defense and step into the starting inside linebacker spot, which is available after Baltimore released leading tackler Daryl Smith.

          The Ravens have not made it a secret that they're open to trading back in this draft. Quarterback-needy teams, like the Buffalo Bills (No. 19) and New York Jets (No. 20), will want to move ahead of the San Francisco 49ers (No. 7) and Browns (No. 8) if they are targeting Memphis' Paxton Lynch.

          But these two blockbuster trades have made it increasingly more difficult for Baltimore to consider falling back, given that the Ravens are now guaranteed of drafting an elite player. As it stands now, Baltimore can expect to get either Tunsil or an impact defender.