More than a week has passed since the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Ravens have signed five of their six draft picks already, in addition to 18 undrafted free agents.
It seems like the signing of Lamar Jackson, which we’ll get into in my next article, has really broken the dam. So much of the tension is gone and there’s a tangible lightness around the organization. Draft picks are getting signed, Lamar sounds hopeful, and even the team itself is hiring for new positions.
After two years of sunken hopes and fanbase friction, there’s now a definitive growth mindset surrounding the Baltimore Ravens.
We know Baltimore entered the draft with only five picks—something I’m sure they weren’t happy about. They knew they’d have to be extra focused so as to maximize the capital they had. Not only did they select solid players at positions of need, but they were able to acquire one more pick after initially running out of selections.
In Round 7, Baltimore traded back into the draft to select Southern California guard Andrew Vorhees, who had an NFL Combine-best 38 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, despite healing from a torn ACL. There’s no timetable for his return, but when is he able to get back on the field, the Ravens figure to have made a very wise investment.
Vorhees, first of all, plays a position of need. In back to back years, the Ravens lost Bradley Bozeman and Ben Powers—both of whom were solid left guard starters (Bozeman, though, had settled in as the Ravens center). In addition to his incredible strength, Vorhees was as good of an interior offensive lineman as there was in the Pac-12. An ACL injury is obviously no joke, so there’s no guarantee he can pick up where he left off. That said, even if his return brings about something close to his pre-injury form, the Ravens will have only spent a 6th-round pick (they acquired a 2023 Cleveland 7th-round pick in exchange for their 2024 6th-round pick).
Speaking of taking players at a position of need, my favorite pick of the draft was when the Ravens selected Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson in Round 3. The son of a former U.S Army Rangers Command Sergeant Major, Simpson is no stranger to high standards and perseverance. He graduated early from Clemson, in addition to assembling a standout collegiate career. In short, he flies around and makes big plays, which is essentially the essence of what makes a Baltimore Ravens defender.
In my mind, it’s the perfect pick. Even if the team retains Patrick Queen, they would’ve needed help at inside linebacker anyway. Malik Harrison hasn’t been able to take the reins, and they’ve had to bring in Josh Bynes and L.J. Fort in recent seasons to help stabilize the position. Now with Roquan Smith in the fold, they have the leader of their defense, but they need someone else to play off of him. Queen may be that guy, long-term, but to pass on Simpson was simply not an option. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Queen were brought back, and Mike Macdonald has a package in mind with all three linebackers on the field at the same time.
Simpson has rare size, speed, and temperament to be an exceptional linebacker. Especially given how the Ravens face stud running backs such as Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon, and Najee Harris twice a year, they need players who are powerful enough to stop the run and dynamic enough to defend multiple pass concepts. Simpson fits the bill. I think fans will grow to love his playing style.
Other draft picks include: Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers (Round 1, Pick 22 overall), Ole Miss outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (Round 4, Pick 124 overall), Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly (Round 5, Pick 157 overall), and Oregon offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (Round 6, Pick 199 overall).
Flowers is likely the favorite choice of Ravens fans, as he’s the most recognizable and plays a sought-after position. Even with the recent addition of Odell Beckham, Jr. to the wide receiver room, Eric DeCosta wanted to further augment that group.
Flowers looks to be an excellent addition to the team, especially considering how new Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken uses players like him. Flowers is as dynamic and as durable as they come. A veteran of 48 games at the college level, Flowers caught passes in excess of 3,000 yards and rushed for over 300 yards, scoring over 30 touchdowns during his time at Boston College.
Between Beckham and Flowers, and of course Jackson, the Ravens could really explode on offense. If all three are healthy, it would be almost impossible to defend Baltimore’s offensive scheme.
In my opinion, Flowers’ money will be made in the red zone. Baltimore has struggled recently to convert long drives into touchdowns, so the fact that he’s their top pick, he receives the responsibility to help turn things around in that regard. The good news for Flowers is that he should receive his fair share of single coverage, especially given Monken’s ability to “scheme guys open.”
Robinson is an edge player that, to be honest, I didn’t know a lot about going into the draft. The Ravens obviously really like him, and, like cornerbacks, you can never have enough edge rushers. Robinson has really good size (6’5”, 265 pounds) and led the Rebels last season in both sacks and tackles for loss.
Blu Kelly is another really good value pick. Quite frankly, I would’ve been happy if the Ravens took him in the third round. Like Simpson, he will benefit from his father’s genes. Brian Kelly was an 11-year NFL veteran, playing for the Buccaneers and Lions. Brian was a member of the 2002 Super Bowl Championship team in Tampa Bay—the same year he tied Ravens safety Rod Woodson for the league lead in interceptions (8).
Blu Kelly, one year from now, will seriously contend for a starting cornerback spot on this team. I think he’s that sound and athletic. I see him as similar to Kyle Hamilton, in that the combination of his physical and mental game is up there with the best prospects of their respective class.
Lastly, Aumavae-Laulu is a player the Ravens perhaps didn’t need but are sure glad they got. For all the talk about Jackson and the wide receivers, Baltimore is still going to emphasize the run game early and often. As of now, the one spot on the offensive line that’s in doubt is left guard. Aumavae-Laulu may not be a Week 1 starter, but I have to think he will battle his tail off for the opportunity.
Here’s what The Draft Network’s Brentley Weismann had to say on the former Oregon Duck:
“In the run game, Aumavae-Laulu displays outstanding power at the point of attack and is a people-mover when he gets hands on defenders. He is excellent working down and puts defenders on their backs on double teams. He is light on his feet and has the athleticism to be a difference-making blocker when climbing to the second level and playing in space. He needs to clean up his aggressiveness as he lunges when initiating contact and will miss at times or simply fail to stay connected.”
If he can provide stability this year while learning the offense, I think that will be a win for the team. I think this pick encapsulates the theme of the Ravens draft this year: “We would’ve been okay without him, but we are much better with him.”
Looking forward to the next portion of the offseason, the Ravens have just under $13.5 million in cap space. Marcus Peters looks like the only free agent the Ravens could practically use at this point. Whether they bring him back or not, it’s nice to have a cap space number in the double digits of millions of dollars. In other words, they have room to make more changes if necessary (injury, poor performance, etc.). For now, though, they’re good. Pretty much every unit on the team has starters and dependable depth players in place.
Specific to the 2023 draft choices, though, here’s how I see their 2023 season turning out:
Projected roles in 2023
Zay Flowers: starting slot receiver
Trenton Simpson: rotational sub linebacker with imminent starting potential
Tavius Robinson: rotational pass rusher
Kyu Blu Kelly: rotational sub cornerback with starting potential
Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu: backup guard
Andrew Vorhees: n/a (compete for starting guard spot in 2024)
By this time next year, I think Flowers, Simpson, and Blu Kelly will start, and I think the other three players will be on the precipice of starting. To see that kind of return after having such a small margin of error going into the draft is another testament to DeCosta and his staff’s intellect and drive.
Remember, if a player shows signs of promise and then gets hurt, that doesn’t mean they were an unwise selection. All we can go on in draft evaluations is what they’ve done to this point.
So, given where the Baltimore Ravens stand today, I’d say they are on the short list of competing for a Super Bowl. Check Baltimore Sports and Life later this week for my next article on that very topic.
Born in Baltimore, Mike had long been drawn to sports of all kinds. Growing up watching Cal Ripken play ever day gave him a great example for which to attack every endeavor he undertakes.
When the Ravens came to town, though, that’s when Mike found his passion. Since that time, he’s tried to gain every bit of knowledge he could. Now as a high school coach, Mike is able to take his film study and appreciation of the game to a new level.
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