2019 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens 7-round mock
By Joe Romano
Round 4 – Pick 123
Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State
The Ravens are in an incredibly interesting spot at running back. All four of their running backs are some kind of free agent. Former starter Gus Edwards is restricted and after his impressive ifnish to the season will likely be back. Baltimore will have decisions to face about Ty Montgomery, Alex Collins and Buck Allen. It would be smart to invest a mid-round pick on a running back. This class may lack elite talent at the top but it is a deep group with players who can contribute. My favorite of the mid-round bunch is Miles Sanders of Penn State.
It was easy to forget about Sanders who spent all that time backing up the generational player Saquon Barkley. Now with the offense to himself in 2018, he showed the skills to be an NFL running back. Sanders is a great back to pair with Edwards. Where Sanders makes his money is hitting a hole then showing some wiggle in the defensive secondary. He’s excellent at bouncing off contact and exhibits excellent body control while running.
Sanders could provide the Ravens more fire power than Edwards offers. He showed at Penn State some break away speed at times. He would also benefit from having an electric runner like Jackson next to him, like he did with the Nittany Lions and Trace McSorley. Sanders is an underrated prospect and will be an intriguing name to watch come draft weekend.
Round 5 – Pick 161
Marquise Blair, S, Utah
The Ravens are also questioning what to do at the safety position. The tag-team of Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson are excellent. However, Weddle is aging and may be a cap casualty. Jefferson is fantastic but plays mostly around the line of scrimmage. Batlrimore could use a player that can play over the top and the more traditoinal free safety role.
There are few safeties in this class that offer the over-the-top protection like Utah’s Marquise Blair. Similar to teammate Marcus Williams, Blair is a player that will go later in the draft but can make an impact in year one. The NFL gets enamored with players like Blair.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and almost 200 pounds, he showcased exceptional range and the ability to play deep zones. That size-speed combination paired with excelling on the back-end makes him an ideal partner for Jefferson. It would also give Baltimore insurance for Weddle, or a player for the veteran to groom as he ages. Blair could even play in some three safety looks, as he was tasked to be a box safety for the Utes. He needs to improve his tackling but is a seamless fit into this defense.