With the Ravens having largely addressed their wide receiver issues over the last week by trading for Anquan Boldin and resigning Derrick Mason, the next look at the experts’ mock drafts promises to have a fully different feel than last time, when just about everyone had the Ravens going WR at pick #25.
All of the following mock drafts were published since the Boldin trade.
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
AP File Photo
Todd Heap had four touchdowns in a two-game span toward the end of the season, but I wouldn’t rely on him going forward. Who knows when he’ll break down again?
Jermaine Gresham is one of the top players on the board and fills a big need for Baltimore. The Ravens really have to concentrate on finding weapons for Joe Flacco, so wide receiver is an option as well.
My take:
Wait for it….
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
I previously had Aaron Hernandez going here in this 2010 NFL Mock Draft. After watching Gresham run well and workout well and the combine I think he takes over the top TE slot in the draft again. Look for him to stretch the field well and be an above average blocker for a Tight End.
My take:
…wait for it…
ESPN’s Mel Kiper (subscription required)
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
The Ravens aren’t finished in their mission to find weapons for Joe Flacco. Gresham is the best pure tight end in the draft and answered physical questions in Indy. The heir to Todd Heap is the perfect weapon for a young passer.
My take:
…wait for it…
ESPN’s Todd McShay (subscription required)
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
Baltimore addressed its wide receiver need by trading for Anquan Boldin and signing unrestricted free agent Donte’ Stallworth. Gresham is the best pass-catching tight end on the board and would be a great addition to an already upgraded receiving corps.
My take:
Phew. So that’s 4/4 of the updated mock drafts surveyed, including the two ESPN “super” experts (who can never seem agree on anything, for ratings sake if nothing else) that have the Ravens going with the 6’5″, 261 lb Gresham. Scouts, Inc. describes Gresham as having exceptional production and ball skills, but just average competitiveness/toughness. There are also durability issues – Gresham played in all 42 games through his first three seasons at OU, but missed the entire 2009 season due to a knee injury suffered in summer practice.
Despite the knee injury that canceled his senior campaign, Gresham is still listed as the top TE on just about every board out there. His combine results were as follows:
Bench Press: 20 Reps (Tied for 8th among TEs)
Vertical Jump: 35 (5th)
Broad Jump: 9’5″ (T-5th)
3-Cone Drill: 7.07 (5th)
60-Yard Shuttle: 11.88 (4th)
40-Yard Dash: 4.73 (Outside Top 5)
Gresham obviously did not blow anyone away at the combine. NFLSoup.com had this to say, following his sub-par performance:
After undergoing season-ending surgery at the start of the ‘09 season, Gresham had questions and concerns surrounding his ability to still play ball. Many still consider him a top contender, but a slow 40-yard and marginal numbers in other categories didn’t look like the Gresham everyone expected.
With more publicity comes more expectations, and Gresham just didn’t meet them at the Combine. He finished near the bottom of every category and will need to put up a good showing at his Pro Day if he expects to keep his position as the top tight end in his class.
However, at OU’s Pro Day, which was earlier this week, Gresham impressed, according to CBSSports:
Tight end Jermaine Gresham drew plenty of eyes. He hasn’t been on the field in this capacity since September, when he underwent knee surgery. Offensive tackle Trent Williams also is projected to be drafted in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft.
Gresham measured at 6-5 3/8 and 259 pounds. He appeared completely recovered from knee surgery performed last September but declined to be interviewed, saying only “I’m getting better and better every day.”
Given that Ozzie Newsome admitted to us last week that he focused too much on “measurables” when passing over Anquan Boldin in 2003, I get the feeling that he will make no such mistake by focusing on Gresham’s combine results when making a decision this April. If anyone knows tight end talent, it’s Ozzie. If he feels that Gresham is indeed fully recovered from his knee issues, and can be the kind of NFL playmaker that he was for three years in college, the Wizard of Oz will not hesitate to pull the trigger on Draft day.
From a fan’s standpoint, a scenario in which Joe Flacco fakes to Ray Rice and then looks downfield to Derrick Mason, Jermaine Gresham, and Anquan Boldin is the stuff of purple dreams. If that situation materializes, the “sea change” will be pretty much complete in B’More. It will be Flacco’s team at that point, and one that will have no more excuses to not consistently strike fear in opposing defenses.
Of course, just because everyone is predicting it, by no means makes it a foregone conclusion. Gresham could very well fly off the board before the Ravens get a shot at him. Alternatively, like last year when all the experts had the Ravens going WR, they could again surprise everyone and take an Earl Thomas (S, Texas) or Terrance Cody (DT, Alabama).
Gresham in purple is a tantalizing prospect though. We Ravens fans should be eager to stand and applaud if we hear his name at 25 on April 22. Let’s watch some “Gresham porn” just to hammer that point home a little more:
Tags: Jermaine Gresham, Joe Flacco, Mel Kiper, Mock Drafts, Ravens, Todd Heap, Todd McShay
Who exactly are walter football and derk arnold and who made them draft experts?
No way the Ravens are going to devote their first pick to offense. The biggest need is defense. They got burned last season because opposing QBs had too much time. Their biggest need is pass rush. Second biggest need is a corner, as their best two are recovering from surgery. TE is a late draft luxury IMHO, given that Heap is still serviceable. Don’t buy into the ESPN hype — Kiper hasn’t gotten the Ravens pick right in many years. They simply pick the best player available, with the overarching sentiment that you get to the playoffs with defense first, and offense second. Just because they signed a big name WR hardly means they scrapped that philosophy. Stop drinking the Koolaid. Spending all your chits on offense will put you in last place. Balance is what wins the whole shebang. They haven’t had it for a while — have been too defense oriented, and now all the fools in the media think they are going to swing 100% to the other extreme. Dumb.
“Just because they signed a big name WR hardly means they scrapped that philosophy.”
And that’s why I hedged my bets by naming Thomas and Cody in the 2nd to last paragraph. The fact is, they’ll pick the best player available. If they don’t think anybody on their board at that point is worth a #25 pick, they’ll trade back.
However, the “experts” or “pundits” or whatever have to base these mock drafts on team need, in order to make any sense out of them. Kiper has been wrong on the Ravens enough (as you pointed out) to know that they won’t just pick someone because it fills a need. Yet he still had them going WR last year.
I don’t think you can just blindly say that they’ll go defense either though. Remember, even with Washington and Webb out at the end of the year, they still had the #3 overall defense, and were #8 against the pass. Their season ended in 2009 the same way it ended in 2008…they couldn’t score any freakin’ points. I’m not convinced they are done adding to the puzzle on the offensive side of the ball.
Jared Odrick DE Penn State. 6’5″ 296 lbs…….Nuff said.
If Odrick is on the board, that wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit either.
HOWEVER, McShay has him going 29th, and Kiper has him out of the first round. So I have to think there isn’t much chance he is #25 or higher on the Ravens’ board.
My bets go with defensive end. Trevor is old and Edwards is not the solution. The best available player will be on defense!
[...] and that means it’s time for the final mock draft round-up. (Find our previous round-ups here, here, and [...]
to wrohrer:
I agree with you man!!
However, the “experts” or “pundits” or whatever have to base these mock drafts on team need, in order to make any sense out of them. Kiper has been wrong on the Ravens enough (as you pointed out) to know that they won’t just pick someone because it fills a need. Yet he still had them going WR last year.
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