OTL: Draft Grades Roll In

The Baltimore Ravens have completed the 2024 NFL Draft and the reactions are coming in hot and heavy. This is a Monday that is all about the aftermath of the NFL Draft.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter graded the draft of every NFL team. He gave the Ravens an overall grade of an A- with their nine-pick draft class. This is his analysis:

The Ravens had yet another solid draft. Wiggins’ elite recovery speed earned him a first-round slot, but he must answer questions about how his lean frame and inconsistent tackling translates to the next level. Rosengarten and Isaac were great value picks at two need spots.

I liked the selection of Walker, an outside playmaker, early in Round 4, even after the team re-upped Rashod Bateman.

This is fair analysis. I would personally give the Ravens an A grade on Wiggins because of his upside as a play-making cornerback. You can’t be upset with an A- grade.

If you were wondering what Reuter thought about the rest of the AFC North, he gave a tough grade to the Cincinnati Bengals. They scored a B-, yet they got a C on their day one selection of Amarius Mims. Some mock drafts had Mims to the Ravens, I guess Reuter thinks the Ravens should be glad it didn’t end up that way as he notes his concern is based on his small sample size of eight college starts. The Steelers got the top grade with an A, while he gave the Browns  a C+ mark.

Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports gave the Ravens a B+ for their haul. He praised the Ravens for a business-as-usual kind of outing getting solid players at their original picks. His favorite pick was Roger Rosengarten, the offensive tackle out of Washington. His least favorite pick was Devontez Walker out of UNC. Here is his analysis on the 113th selection:

Baltimore needed depth at wide receiver, but Walker has a long way to go before he can contribute in the NFL. He has the speed to make big plays downfield, but everything else is a work in progress. For a team that will probably need a WR to produce as a rookie, the Ravens picked one who is not quite there yet. Playing with two time-MVP Lamar Jackson should allow for Walker to make some things happen as a rookie.

That’s a fair take. Walker is a boom or bust prospect whose unpolished athleticism is certainly what the Ravens are banking on. I’d argue that receiver wasn’t overly urgent (for a nice change of pace). A corps of pass catchers of Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor and star tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely seems like an exciting group Walker is coming into as a day three pick.

Trevor Sikkema of PFF gave the Ravens an A- for their overall grade. He had a different take on the selection of Walker:

Walker — The Ravens finally land a wide receiver, and it’s a player who many expected to be off the board by now. His 10 receptions on throws 20-plus yards downfield ranked third in the ACC, so he can be a big-play threat in Baltimore right away.

One thing is for sure: Walker is an exciting prospect regardless of how much polish you think he has. Walker represents a missing piece for the Ravens, a legitimate deep threat down the field with a big catch radius. For a day three selection, getting an explosive wide receiver is at the minimum an eye opener.

Asked about his weight, Nate Wiggins joked that he’s not fully stretched out yet. He’s still only 20.

“When I get to my peak, it’s going to be scary.” pic.twitter.com/FiHuAkKq5O

— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) April 26, 2024

Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Schaffer tweeted out Wiggins’ response to being asked about his weight. It’s good to see Wiggins is confident. It’s a reminder that some prospects don’t come into the league as finished products. Wiggins has to bulk up a bit, but the way he plays lines up with the Ravens type of cornerbacks.

Kay Adams made Ravens first-round CB Nate Wiggins make his bed before joining her showpic.twitter.com/1yQ66YvnSN

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 28, 2024

His weight isn’t the only thing he’s getting knocked on. Kay Adams got on the first round pick for not having his bed made before an interview. Yeah, I have no room to talk, you’re good Nate!

My favorite part about Roger Rosengarten playing RT for the last 2 years:

He used to be a LT, but he moved because Michael Penix Jr. is a left-handed QB, and they wanted Rosengarten on his blindside.

So Rosengarten isn’t just a LT or RT.

He’s a blindside protector. pic.twitter.com/I8cLT1i45J

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) April 27, 2024

Sarah Ellison makes a strong case for my favorite draft fact. She took to the app still sometimes called Twitter to point out that Roger Rosengarten switched to right tackle to protect lefty Michael Penix Jr. (who shockingly got taken eighth overall to the Kirk Cousins equipped Falcons).

And there you have it folks. Draft season is done and now life gets a little more boring. Happy Monday… I guess.

The post OTL: Draft Grades Roll In appeared first on Russell Street Report.