Day 1:
First Round: Pick 16- Derek Barnett (EDGE) – Tennessee
If Derek Barnett falls to the Ravens at pick 16, I think the pick would be set in stone. In my opinion, there is a good chance Ozzie goes back to his strengths and drafts a front seven player. Especially one that broke Reggie White’s sack record at Tennessee with 33 sacks in his career during the Music City Bowl against Nebraska. In addition, he ended 2016 with 13 sacks and was a productive player overall.
What does this pick do for the front seven?
With this selection, the future replacement for pass rusher Terrell Suggs and the potential starter opposite of him can be found. Matt Judon, the 4th round pass rusher (Grand Valley State), had a decent rookie season with 4 sacks but was a part-time contributor and was inconsistent. 3rd-year pass rusher Za’Darius Smith (Kentucky) had a down year in 2016 after notching 5.5 sacks in 2015. 2017 will be a big year for Smith on whether he can contributor as a potential starter or just as a rotational pass rusher. Kamalei Correa (2nd round pick- Boise State), after being put on injured reserve and not starting in 2016, is going to convert to inside linebacker for his sophomore season. Adding a pass rusher like Barnett can bring impact to the defense in his rookie season in 2017 and set up for the future.
At 6’3″ 259 lbs., Barnett would be a great fit in a 3-4 as an outside linebacker.
Barnett is among the top pass rushers in this class. He has great hand usage, can bend the edge, and has a relentless motor. However, some think he is not a good athlete or his sacks were the result of timing the snap. While his combine and pro day numbers were below average, his 3-cone was top 5 at the combine. He was also sick at the combine and suffered a strained hamstring at his pro day. As a 20-year old pass rusher, he can develop into a solid pass rusher with a relatively high floor and be a nice contributor on defense in 2017.