Every Ravens fan knows what a great job the execs did. Mel Kiper validated the efforts by giving the Ravens an A for their work. here is his synopsis:
Summary: For top grades, it’s a contrast in styles. Seattle had high picks and got great fits, then waited and got Golden Tate. Baltimore traded down and still loaded up on talent all over the place. In Round 2, they got bothSergio Kindle and Terrence Cody, a pair of guys who could have landed in the first round. They get a pair of fantastic tight end prospects in Ed Dickson andDennis Pitta, continuing a promise to both buy and draft options for Joe Flacco. Love the Arthur Jones pick, a one-time Big Board guy who fell to the fifth round, mostly because of health issues. Even in the sixth, the Ravens got Ramon Harewood, a small-college tackle prospect who has a chance to develop.
Draft grade: A
| Baltimore Ravens 2010 Picks | ||||
| RD | PK(OVR) | NAME | POS | SCHOOL |
| 2 | 11(43) | Sergio Kindle | OLB | Texas |
| from Miami through Denver | ||||
| What he brings: Kindle is another talented prospect with durability concerns. His stem from a knee injury. On the other hand, Kindle is an explosive pass-rusher and athletic run defender on film. He needs to get a bit stronger at the point of attack, but there’s a lot to like about his upside. How he fits: Kindle will provide good depth at the outside linebacker position for the Ravens’ 3-4 defense. The Ravens have good starters in Jarret Johnson and Terrell Suggs, but Kindle will be able to spell these players more and more as they age. This was not a big need for the club, but he fits their defense very well. |
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| 2 | 25(57) | Terrence Cody | DT | Alabama |
| What he brings: Cody has the bulk and athletic ability of an elite nose tackle prospect. The problem is his stamina. He wears down far too quickly and needs to be rotated out of the game frequently. How he fits: Kelly Gregg has had injury issues the last couple of years and the club recently lost Justin Bannan to Denver and Dwan Edwards to Buffalo. This was already a good defense without Cody, but his presence will make them even tougher to attack with the running game. Cody and Haloti Ngata will often line up alongside each other and form one of the biggest tandems in the league. |
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| 3 | 6(70) | Ed Dickson | TE | Oregon |
| from Seattle through Philadelphia and Denver | ||||
| What he brings: Dickson is one of the better pass-catching tight ends in this year’s class. He has great top-end speed to stretch the field combined ideal body control and ball skills. He still needs to develop as a run-blocker but should contribute in the passing game. How he fits: This receiving tight end has the ability to threaten the seam and initially will have a chance to learn behindCornell Green has gone to Buffalo and Mario Henderson struggles at left tackle in pass-protection. |
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| 4 | 16(114) | Dennis Pitta | TE | Brigham Young |
| from Denver | ||||
| What he brings: Pitta is limited as far as overall athleticisim. However, he is a savvy zone-beater who should develop into a dangerous red zone threat for Joe Flacco. While he gives good effort as a run blocker, he needs to get stronger at the point of attack. How he fits: Baltimore has taken yet another receiving tight end because Todd Heap is on the downside of his career.Ed Dickson will likely stretch the field and Pitta will be able to work underneath zones. |
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| 5 | 25(156) | David Reed | WR | Utah |
| Reed brings great value at this pick. He may have some of the better ball skills in this year’s receiver class. He is a polished route runner, shows great toughness going over the middle and can run the entire route tree. | ||||
| 5 | 26(157) | Arthur Jones | DT | Syracuse |
| from Arizona | ||||
| It comes as no surprise he fell this far due to his durability issues, but when healthy he is one of the better one-gap run stoppers in the draft. He comes from a wrestling background and plays with good leverage. | ||||
| 6 | 25(194) | Ramon Harewood | OT | Morehouse |
| Harewood is a major project. He has great size, at 6-6, 350 pounds, and incredible natural bruit strength. He’s going to be a big project; he must play lower and approach the game with an aggressive attitude. | ||||
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from the sunpapers.
Here’s a look at what other media are saying about the Ravens’ draft:
• ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr., gave the Ravens an A for their 2010 draft.
Baltimore traded down and still loaded up on talent all over the place. In Round 2, they got both Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody, a pair of guys who could have landed in the first round. They get a pair of fantastic tight end prospects in Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, continuing a promise to both buy and draft options for Joe Flacco. Love the Arthur Jones pick, a one-time Big Board guy who fell to the fifth round, mostly because of health issues. Even in the sixth, the Ravens got Ramon Harewood, a small-college tackle prospect who has a chance to develop.
• ESPN.com’s John Clayton said the Ravens were a Day 2 winner.
Some wondered if the Ravens were losers when they failed to get wide receivers Dez Bryant or Demaryius Thomas or tight end Jermaine Gresham in the first round. Instead, they traded back into the second round, where they made major upgrades on defense. They got a big pass-rushing linebacker, Sergio Kindle. They got the biggest nose tackle in the draft, 349-pound Terrence Cody, who will bring back memories of Tony Siragusa. Both came as second-round bargains.
• ESPN.com’s James Walker says Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome once again worked some draft-day magic.
The Ravens took Denver’s second-, third- and fourth-round picks Thursday. The Broncos wound up selecting former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow at No. 25, a move that has been heavily criticized by the national media.
But few can argue with Baltimore’s draft approach. The same GM who hit home runs with Michael Oher (2009), Ray Rice (2008) and Joe Flacco (2008) the past two years may have done the same with a pair of second-rounders.
• Walker also wondered if the Ravens’ drafting of Utah wide receiver David Reed was supposed to send a message to Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams.
The Ravens are already stacked at receiver. It’s to the point where any rookie surprises in training camp could come at the expense of pushing a veteran like Demetrius Williams or Mark Clayton for a roster spot.
• ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha thinks Texas linebacker Sergio Kindle was one of the draft’s 10 best bargains.
Kindle was another player who was hyped as a first-round prospect until durability issues dropped him into the second round. In the long run, he might be happier about the way things turned out. Kindle is a perfect fit in the Ravens’ 3-4 defense and his pass-rushing skills should make him a dangerous threat off the edge. He’ll also get to learn from veteran defenders like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. In other words, don’t be surprised if Kindle becomes a star later in his career.
• The Ravens drafting Kindle and Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody in the second round was one of five moves CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge loved about the NFL Draft.
In Kindle, the Ravens get an outside linebacker with first-round ability who slipped because of a knee injury. Trust me, he’ll be an impact player, the perfect complement to Terrell Suggs. In Cody, they have a huge defensive tackle they can couple with Haloti Ngata to produce a solar eclipse. Let’s see someone, anyone, penetrate the middle of the Ravens’ run defense.
• CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco gave the Ravens an A for their draft.
The Ravens always seem to tear it up in the draft. They know how to find good players, and this year was no exception. They landed a heck of a group, without even using a first-round pick. Well done.
Prisco was a big fan of the Ravens’ selection of Cody.
I love this pick. The Ravens get it. If they control his weight, and they will, he will be a great pick. He can cause havoc in the middle. Give Ozzie Newsome credit for another good pick.
Prisco also had good things to say about Ed Dickson, the Ravens’ third-round pick.
The Ravens are looking for the replacement for Todd Heap. They land a quality receiving tight end in Dickson. He is another good pick for the Ravens.
• CBSSports.com’s Rob Rang was less impressed with the Ravens’ draft, giving the franchise a B-.
The Ravens lost valuable depth along the defensive line through free-agent defections, but added massive NT Terrence Cody (Alabama). Considering Todd Heap’s durability is a constant question, the third-round selection of Oregon TE Ed Dickson could pay the more immediate dividends.
• CBSSports.com’s Jon Dove liked the Ravens’ selection of BYU tight end Dennis Pitta in the fourth round.
Pitta is more of a complete tight end than [Aaron] Hernandez but still needs to improve his blocking. However, he is dangerous in the passing game and adds another threat to the Ravens.
For the fifth round, Dove weighed in on the Ravens’ selections of Utah wide receiver David Reed and Syracuse defensive lineman Arthur Jones.
If Arthur Jones can stay healthy he would have been a 2nd round pick. Jones is a good player and the Ravens continue the youth movement on the Defensive side of the ball.
Click herefor Dove’s take on Ramon Harewood, the Ravens’ sixth-round pick.
• SI.com’s Don Banks said the Ravens’ second-round haul of Kindle and Cody is a case of the rich getting richer.
But both are undeniable talents, and Baltimore does as good as job as anyone in the league of putting some structure around young players and integrating them into their veteran-led program. Kindle is seen as potential pass-rushing force off the edge, and the Ravens feel Cody can be the kind of run-stuffing presence who allows their linebackers to remain unblocked and run free to the ball.
• SI.com’s Peter King thought the Ravens would select Tennessee defensive lineman Dan Williams with the 25th overall pick.
The Ravens loved him. I thought it was incredible value if they’d have gotten him at 25. But at the end of the day, it’s hard to pay big money to both Haloti Ngata and — potentially — Williams if he pans out.
• FoxSports.com’s John Czarnecki gave the Ravens a B+ for their 2010 draft.
The addition of [Terrence] Cody means that few teams will be able to move the Baltimore middle. Syracuse DE Arthur Jones was a super value pick. Baltimore added to their receiving corps with Utah’s David Reed, who has excellent hands and is quick out of the break.
• The Sporting News’ Clifton Brown gave the Ravens’ an A- for their draft.
Another gold mine for GM Ozzie Newsome, and he did it without taking anyone in the first round. If Sergio Kindle stays healthy, he might be the best linebacker in this draft. Nose tackle Terrence Cody strengthens them against the run. Two tight ends, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, provide insurance in case Todd Heap cannot stay healthy.
• The Ravens were one of six NFL teams who helped themselves the most in the draft, according to The Sporting News’ Dennis Dillon.
Kindle was widely projected as a top-20 pick, so Newsome was giddy when he dropped to the Ravens at the 43rd spot overall. Kindle could be a perfect fit in the Ravens’ 3-4 scheme as a disruptive, pass-rushing outside linebacker. Cody is a wide-body lineman — there may not have been a more massive man in this year’s draft — who can eat up space. Think Tony Siragusa. Both Kindle and Cody fill needs.
• YahooSports.com’s Charles Robinson thinks the Ravens “might be the best front office in football over the last decade.”
The Ravens rarely make a massive mistake, and even when they do, they follow it with a string of success. Their move to send the 25th overall pick to Denver in exchange for a second, third and fourth-round pick was brilliant. Particularly seeing the Ravens turn their two second-round picks into Texas linebacker Sergio Kindle and Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody. Both guys have first round résumés, but slipped due to various concerns. Awesome talent, and a great fit in the Ravens’ scheme.
• The Ravens were one of a few teams who found answers through the draft, according to NFL.com’s Steve Wyche.
Baltimore traded out of the first round, but still landed two first-round types in the second with outside linebacker Sergio Kindle and nose tackle Terrence Cody. On top of that, the Ravens took two receiving tight ends with Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta in the third and fourth rounds. None of these players may start, but they could all be factors in 2010 and long-time starters down the road. Add in their trade for wide receiver Anquan Boldin last month and the Ravens could be the team to beat in the AFC North. Few teams draft with an eye on the short- and long-term like the Ravens.
• AOL Fanhouse’s Pat McManamon broke down each AFC North team’s draft, including the Ravens’ haul.
Some teams just draft guys. Other teams understand the draft. They use their picks wisely, move around when it’s not prudent to spend the money on a pick and wind up feeling pretty good about themselves. The Baltimore Ravens are one of those teams that gets the draft. Year in and year out, Ozzie Newsome does an outstanding job, and he did that this season – trading down for numbers and then drafting guys who can help his team.
[Compiled by Matt Bracken]
Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun
· 11/12/2019