Baltimore Ravens: 7-round mock draft

Round 4: Karl Joseph, SS, West Virginia

At merely 5-11, 197 pounds, Karl Joseph of the West Virginia Mountaineers doesn’t have nearly the size that teams would typically look for in a strong safety charged with physically controlling things at the back of the secondary. However, Joseph lays the hammer like a linebacker more than a strong safety, despite his size, and is someone who could wind up being one of the best mid-round picks of the 2016 draft class.

Joseph still has room to progress in terms of his coverage and there’s no way around it. However, given his speed, strength, and explosiveness when it comes to closing and making tackles in the open field, he clearly has the physical skills necessary to develop as a safety in coverage.

Had Joseph’s senior season with the Mountaineers not ended prematurely due to a torn ACL suffered in practice early in the year, there’s a really good chance that he wouldn’t be available past the second round or the third at the very least. Without that senior season body of work and without him likely being able to workout at the combine or elsewhere, Joseph will likely fall farther than he otherwise would have. If that is the case, he’s the type of physical player that the Ravens typically swoon over and that could develop into something special.

Next: Second Pick of Round 4