Well the 2008 draft has come and gone. All in all the Ravens did well, but they left room for improvement in free agency. The team adequately addressed the significant needs at the offensive skill positions, but failed to add youth at the corners.
I think the team failed overall with their defensive selections. Taveres Gooden is a quality ILB and fills a need with the team. I am confused by the selection of two Safeties. The team needed one to support Reed and Landry, but two? Corner Back was an issue that needed to be addressed with this draft and wasn’t. Both of these guys play as safeties and are built as such. I can’t imagine the Ravens will try to convert either to CB. So we entered the draft with glaring needs on the offensive lines and at CB. Unfortunately we leave the draft with the same two needs (more so the corner position than the offensive line). Even though there are some issues, I have to reiterate that the team did well with the offensive skill positions. Two wide receivers, two running backs, and a stud of a quarterback. Here is a breakdown position by position:
Joe Flacco,QB-Deleware (18)
6’6, laser rocket arm. He absolutely has the strongest arm in 2008 crop of QB’s. Kyle Boller also had the strongest arm in his class. Joe Flacco is talented and intelligent, but he has yet to face NFL caliber competition. He has the potential to be great, but needs some time to develop. I hope the Ravens will hold him out of the starting lineup so he doesn’t suffer from Boller or David Carr syndrome. He has some escapability issues because of his size, so the O-line will have to protect him. If he has time to pass, he can develop into an outstanding pocket passer.
Ray Rice, RB-Rutgers (55)
Bowling ball. Rice is quick, patient, and strong. He is a great addition as a back-up running back. Rice’s style of play differs from McGahee’s which will provide the team with more offensive option. Many people underestimate his blocking abilities as well.
Tavares Gooden, ILB-Miami (71)
Originally a question mark because of an unproductive first half of his college career, Gooden has developed into a prototypical
Tom Zbikowski, S-Notre Dame (86)
He hits hard! He really hits hard. Zbikowski is also a quick guy. Expect him to immediately jump to third on the safety depth chart. Good pick up for the Ravens.
Oniel Cousins, OG-UTEP (99)
From what the college analysts say, Cousins is a good talent. He is inexperience and raw, but can develop into a quality NFL player. Many experts compare him to the Colts’ Tony Ugoh. Hopefully, Jonathan Ogden stays on for one more year to guide Cousins development.
Marcus Smith, WR-New
He had big numbers while playing with the Lobos. Smith is a tall guy that is willing to go up and fight for the ball. We’ll keep a close on him. He can either become great or disappear in two years.
David Hale,
I don’t know much about Hale, but ESPN seems to think he will peak as a back-up Right Tackle.
Haruki Nakamura, S-Cincinnati (206)
I was disappointed with this pick more than any others. I honestly question why the team drafted another safety. Granted Ozzie and others know quite a bit more than I do, but I wish we would’ve used this pick to draft a corner. He stands 5’9, lacking the necessary height to be a good corner. I think Nakamura will be a great special team’s player because of his pension for making big tackles.
Justin Harper, WR- Virginia Tech (215)
He is a big guy, but can get pushed around from time to time. He needs to bulk up and learn how to push off a corner at the line, but he has the athleticism to become good.
Allen Patrick, RB-Oklahoma (240)
I think this pick is a steal. With 927 yards in 13 games (5.8 per carry) he has impressive stats for a 7th round pick. Patrick is a hard runner nosed runner and has faced good competition in the Big 12, so I expect him to get a chance after putting in his time on special teams.
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