With the 16th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens have selected cornerback Marlon Humphrey . How’d they do by picking him?
Entering the 2017 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens needed to address their . While they traditionally go for the best player available, this was a need they couldn’t afford to pass up. With their first round pick, the Ravens went with Marlon Humphrey . This helps them address the need at cornerback. Baltimore continues to address their need in the secondary. After John Ross, Derek Barnett, Corey Davis, and Mike Williams all went before the Ravens picked, this makes sense.
Overall, this is a very solid pick by the Ravens. Ozzie Newsome hasn’t done his best work in recent years, but this pick ought to help him get back on track. This should help Baltimore upgrade their and give more weapons to help their defense.
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Even after signing Brandon Carr, this pick makes a lot of sense. Newsome has his ties to Alabama. Thanks to Foster’s diluted drug test and Jonathan Allen’s bad shoulders, neither was a legitimate option for them. Humphrey should help provide the Ravens with defensive depth. Jimmy Smith’s injury history has a bunch of red flags, so this is a huge help for them. Also, it allows them to cut ties rather easily with free agent signing Brandon Carr. He’s on the wrong side of 30, so Ozzie is making the right decision here.
It would have been nice for the Ravens to get a receiver, but the best three guys were gone by the time Baltimore made their pick. Humphrey should slot in as a fourth cornerback immediately and down the road, should be a strong starter for them.
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Grade: B+