Ozzie Newsome and the 2016 Draft

Ozzie Newsome was named general manager of the Baltimore Ravens on November 22, 2002 and became the first African-American to occupy a GM position in the NFL. His promotion to GM followed continuous work on the executive side since 1991. Newsome’s stint in the front office comes after playing for the Browns in a Hall of Fame career from 1978-1990. Currently he has the 6^th longest tenure as a GM in the NFL. It goes without saying – Newsome knows what he is doing.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Do the past drafts with Newsome as GM tell us anything interesting about what the Ravens will do in the 2016 draft – especially in the early rounds? Unless the Ravens trade the #6 pick in the 2016 draft, Newsome will walk away with his highest draft pick ever. He seems ready.

[Note: All quotes taken from transcript of Ravens 2016 draft press conference]

“We’re at a position at [pick No.] 6 where we think we’re going to get a very, very good player. Defensively, you’ve got pass rushers, you’ve got corners; those are playmakers, guys that can sack the quarterback, guys that can intercept passes. There are four or five guys that we feel comfortable taking at six on the defensive side, and as we get into the second round, we’re looking at pick 36, again, we see a lot of those kind of guys: playmakers, safeties, ball-hawking safeties, corners who can intercept passes and score touchdowns, pass rushers as either five-techniques or as outside linebackers who can sack the quarterback. So, it does shape up very nicely for us, based on that criteria.”

Does this mean the Ravens have their mind made up? Is it defense, defense, defense?

“…we still believe in taking the best players available, regardless of position.”

What will the Ravens do? Will they choose offense or defense? The recent trades by the Rams and Eagles have changed the draft boards as two QBs should be taken #1 and #2 when a few weeks ago, those same players were mostly projected after the 10^th pick. Now you will find those players near #7 and #8 on “updated” prospect lists.

The Ravens feel like they need playmakers.

“Based on our acquisitions so far and hopefully the health we’ll get back, we should be better. We lost a lot of close games last year, and maybe guys can make a play or two to help us out and we can win some of those games that we lost.”

Is this a reference to a need on offense or defense? The answers will start tomorrow in round 1.  Friday is rounds 2 and 3 while rounds 4 thru 7 will have to wait until Saturday.

Newsome has drafted high on defense in the past. His highest 3 picks have all been on the defensive side of the ball. 2003 after 7-9, 2006 after 6-10 after and 2014 after 8-8. The next five highest picks were all on offense as seen in the table below.

year	round	pick	overall	name	position	college
2003	1	10	10	Terrell Suggs	Defensive End	Arizona State
2006	1	12	12	Haloti Ngata	Defensive Tackle	Oregon
2014	1	17	17	C. J. Mosley	Linebacker	Alabama
2008	1	18	18	Joe Flacco	Quarterback	Delaware
2003	1	19	19	Kyle Boller	Quarterback	California
2005	1	22	22	Mark Clayton	Wide Receiver	Oklahoma
2009	1	23	23	Michael Oher	Offensive Tackle	Mississippi
2015	1	26	26	Breshad Perriman	Wide Receiver	Central Florida
2011	1	27	27	Jimmy Smith	Cornerback	Colorado
2007	1	29	29	Ben Grubbs	Guard	Auburn
2013	1	32	32	Matt Elam	Safety	Florida
2012	2	3	35	Courtney Upshaw	Linebacker	Alabama
2010	2	11	43	Sergio Kindle	Linebacker	Texas
2014	2	16	48	Timmy Jernigan	Defensive Tackle	Florida State
2004	2	19	51	Dwan Edwards	Defensive Tackle	Oregon State
2005	2	21	53	Dan Cody	Defensive End	Oklahoma
2015	2	23	55	Maxx Williams	Tight End	Minnesota
2008	2	24	55	Ray Rice	Running Back	Rutgers
2013	2	24	56	Arthur Brown	Linebacker	Kansas State
2006	2	24	56	Chris Chester	Center	Oklahoma
2010	2	25	57	Terrence Cody	Defensive Tackle	Alabama
2009	2	25	57	Paul Kruger	Defensive End	Utah
2011	2	26	58	Torrey Smith	Wide Receiver	Maryland
2012	2	28	60	Kelechi Osemele	Offensive Tackle	Iowa State
2005	2	32	64	Adam Terry	Offensive Tackle	Syracuse
2010	3	6	70	Ed Dickson	Tight End	Oregon
2008	3	8	71	Tavares Gooden	Linebacker	Miami (FL)
2007	3	10	74	Yamon Figurs	Wide Receiver	Kansas State
2003	3	13	77	Musa Smith	Running Back	Georgia
2014	3	15	79	Terrence Brooks	Safety	Florida State
2004	3	19	82	Devard Darling	Wide Receiver	Washington State
2012	3	21	84	Bernard Pierce	Running Back	Temple
2011	3	21	85	Jah Reid	Offensive Tackle	Central Florida
2008	3	23	86	Tom Zbikowski	Safety	Notre Dame
2007	3	23	86	Marshal Yanda	Offensive Tackle	Iowa
2006	3	23	87	David Pittman	Cornerback	Northwestern State
2009	3	24	88	Lardarius Webb	Cornerback	Nicholls State
2015	3	26	90	Carl Davis	Defensive Tackle	Iowa
2013	3	32	94	Brandon Williams	Defensive Tackle	Missouri Southern State
2012	4	3	98	Gino Gradkowski	Guard	Delaware
2014	3	35	99	Crockett Gillmore	Tight End	Colorado State
2008	3	36	99	Oniel Cousins	Guard	UTEP
2008	4	7	106	Marcus Smith	Wide Receiver	New Mexico
2003	4	12	109	Jarret Johnson	Linebacker	Alabama
2006	4	14	111	Demetrius Williams	Wide Receiver	Oregon
2010	4	16	114	Dennis Pitta	Tight End	BYU
2015	4	23	122	Za'Darius Smith	Defensive End	Kentucky
2011	4	26	123	Tandon Doss	Wide Receiver	Indiana
2005	4	23	124	Jason Brown	Guard	North Carolina
2015	4	26	125	Javorius Allen	Running Back	USC
2013	4	32	129	John Simon	Defensive End	Ohio State
2013	4	33	130	Kyle Juszczyk	Fullback	Harvard
2012	4	35	130	Christian Thompson	Safety	South Carolina State
2006	4	35	132	P. J. Daniels	Running Back	Georgia Tech
2008	4	34	133	David Hale	Offensive Tackle	Weber State
2014	4	34	134	Brent Urban	Defensive Tackle	Virginia
2007	4	35	134	Antwan Barnes	Linebacker	Florida International
2003	4	37	134	Ovie Mughelli	Fullback	Wake Forest
2015	4	37	136	Tray Walker	Cornerback	Texas Southern
2009	5	1	137	Jason Phillips	Linebacker	Texas Christian
2007	4	38	137	Le'Ron McClain	Fullback	Alabama
2014	4	38	138	Lorenzo Taliaferro	Running Back	Coastal Carolina
2006	5	13	146	Dawan Landry	Safety	Georgia Tech
2003	5	11	146	Aubrayo Franklin	Defensive Tackle	Tennessee
2009	5	13	149	Davon Drew	Tight End	East Carolina
2004	5	21	153	Roderick Green	Linebacker	Central Missouri State
2010	5	25	156	David Reed	Wide Receiver	Utah
2010	5	26	157	Arthur Jones	Defensive Tackle	Syracuse
2005	5	22	158	Justin Green	Fullback	Montana
2011	5	33	164	Chykie Brown	Cornerback	Texas
2011	5	34	165	Pernell McPhee	Defensive End	Mississippi State
2006	5	34	166	Quinn Sypniewski	Tight End	Colorado
2013	5	35	168	Ricky Wagner	Offensive Tackle	Wisconsin
2012	5	34	169	Asa Jackson	Cornerback	Cal Poly
2015	5	35	171	Nick Boyle	Tight End	Delaware
2003	5	35	173	Tony Pashos	Offensive Tackle	Illinois
2007	5	37	174	Troy Smith	Quarterback	Ohio State
2014	5	35	175	John Urschel	Guard	Penn State
2015	5	40	176	Robert Myers	Guard	Tennessee State
2011	6	15	180	Tyrod Taylor	Quarterback	Virginia Tech
2003	6	9	182	Gerome Sapp	Safety	Notre Dame
2009	6	12	185	Cedric Peerman	Running Back	Virginia
2004	6	22	187	Josh Harris	Quarterback	Bowling Green
2014	6	18	194	Keith Wenning	Quarterback	Ball State
2010	6	25	194	Ramon Harewood	Offensive Tackle	Morehouse
2012	6	28	198	Tommy Streeter	Wide Receiver	Miami (FL)
2004	6	34	199	Clarence Moore	Wide Receiver	Northern Arizona
2013	6	32	200	Kapron Lewis-Moore	Defensive End	Notre Dame
2013	6	35	203	Ryan Jensen	Offensive center	Colorado State-Pueblo
2006	6	34	203	Sam Koch	Punter	Nebraska
2015	6	28	204	Darren Waller	Wide Receiver	Georgia Tech
2008	6	40	206	Haruki Nakamura	Safety	Cincinnati
2007	6	33	207	Prescott Burgess	Linebacker	Michigan
2006	6	39	208	Derrick Martin	Cornerback	Wyoming
2005	6	39	213	Derek Anderson	Quarterback	Oregon State
2008	7	8	215	Justin Harper	Wide Receiver	Virginia Tech
2014	7	3	218	Michael Campanaro	Wide Receiver	Wake Forest
2006	7	11	219	Ryan LaCasse	Linebacker	Syracuse
2003	7	9	223	Trent Smith	Tight End	Oklahoma
2011	7	22	225	Anthony Allen	Running Back	Georgia Tech
2005	7	20	234	Mike Smith	Linebacker	Texas Tech
2012	7	29	236	DeAngelo Tyson	Defensive End	Georgia
2013	7	32	238	Aaron Mellette	Wide Receiver	Elon
2008	7	33	240	Allen Patrick	Running Back	Oklahoma
2004	7	43	244	Derek Abney	Wide Receiver	Kentucky
2004	7	43	246	Brian Rimpf	Guard	East Carolina
2013	7	41	247	Marc Anthony	Cornerback	California
2003	7	36	250	Mike Mabry	Center	Central Florida
2003	7	44	258	Antwoine Sanders	Defensive Back	Utah

Does this reveal Newsome’s comfort for defensive players at higher draft picks? Is there a philosophy in the organization that “if you can’t stop ’em, you can’t beat ’em.”

The St. Louis Rams took Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft and he paid instant dividends with the NFL offensive rookie of the year award. Gurley’s selection at #10 marked the first time since 2012 that a running back had gone anywhere in the first round. With the trades for picks #1 and #2, the Raven’s will at worst get the opportunity to take the 4th best player on their board. Probably too many difference makers on defense to pass up at #6 to take Elliott that high. But it was only back in 2000 that the Ravens took Jamal Lewis with the 5th pick….

Does Newsome trade first round draft picks? He has moved up four three times:

• Kyle Boller 19th in 2003: choice obtained from New England for 1st round pick in 2004 draft.
• Etuini “Haloti” Ngata 12th in 2006: choice obtained from Cleveland for 1st (13) and 6th-round (181) selections.
• Joe Flacco 18th in 2008: choice obtained from Houston for 1st (26th), 3rd (89), and 6th-round (173) selections.
• Michael Oher 23rd in 2009: choice obtained from New England for 1st (26) and 5th-round (162) selections.

He had traded out of the first round twice – 2010 and 2012. The 2010 swap was with Denver out of the 25th spot while the 2010 trade was with Minnesota out of the 29th selection.

With the additions from the draft – whatever they may be, will Ravens be contenders?

“I think I can probably answer that better after about the third preseason game. You know we have a lot of guys coming off injuries that it will be up to the medical staff when they can get to the field. I just won’t be able to answer that. I know John and his staff have put in countless hours working on schemes and how to prepare themselves to be better to play. Now they’re working on the opponents that we’re going to play against. But, it will be around the third or fourth preseason game [before I can answer that question]. And then, if you listen to some of the other people in the business, it normally takes you through the first four games before you find out what team you really have.”

We have no choice but to wait and see but by the end of the weekend, a major domino falls in the 2016 season.  We do know: The Ravens have an extremely talented GM who knows exactly what he is doing. We’ll find out more about what exactly that is over the next few days.