MANTI TE’O
6’1″, 241 lbs. , Notre Dame
Strengths:
-Excellent instincts and intelligence
-Skilled in pass coverage
-Good tackler with solid technique
Weaknesses:
-Getting off Blocks
-Improved strength and speed for pro level?
-Man to man pass coverage will need to improve
Te’o has been one of the most debated and controversial prospects of the draft. That debate has carried over to our staff as well. Listeners that follow Ravens Rap with myself and Mike Randall know that it’s become a bit of a running joke as to just when I would post this report. Both of us are of the opinion that the Ravens should look elsewhere to find help in replacing inside linebackers Ellerbee and Lewis.
However, I want to make sure that I’m not being too hasty in my assessment of the Notre Dame star as a potential pro player just because of the negative publicity surrounding his “catfish” hoax. He’s seemingly floated everywhere from a mid-first round to mid to late second round selection which could mean that the Ravens could call his name come draft day. But should they?
Te’o has a strong college resume to back up his possible selection. He was a productive three-year starter in South Bend and was often among the team leaders in tackles. His decision to drop weight his Senior season had mixed results as it helped him improve in pass coverage (#2 in Nation with 7 interceptions) while it hurt his ability to stuff the run. His decreased bulk allowed lineman to keep hold of him on blocks as was evidenced in the National title game.
Still his intelligence and instincts should allow him to be a successful pro player. There are still some questions about his speed due to a disappointing combine time but there are some scouts that insist that he plays faster on the field while his heart is something you just can’t teach. He loves playing the game and it shows.
For now, this closes the book for my ongoing segments on possible first round options for the Ravens. Certainly there are others out there like pass rusher Tank Carradine from Florida State or Receiver Quinton Patton out of Louisiana Tech. In fact I could probably do five to ten more of these profiles but instead I’d like to use my next post to focus on what I think the Ravens will do at Number #32 and the what the rest of the draft will hold of Ozzie Newsome and the eleven other picks he holds in his hands.
Matt has lived in Maryland his entire life and is a graduate of Calvert Hall and Towson University. has always been an avid Baltimore sports fan. Since 2007, he has been writing and talking about Baltimore sports, especially the Ravens. His work has appeared on Ravens Gab, Russell Street Report, and he currently co-hosts a podcast “The Blitz- A Ravens podcast” with Brent Harris.