Top 2 Needs the Baltimore Ravens have to consider for the NFL Draft
1. Cornerback
Any fan of the Baltimore Ravens knows that Jimmy Smith, when healthy, is the real deal and showed signs of a shut-down cornerback against the NFL’s top receivers. Problem was, the former 2011 1st round pick from Colorado was unavailable due to injury and could not make the impact we needed in crucial games like the final stretch of games in 2016 (like the Steelers and Patriots game) near the end of the season that decided the fate of the Raven’s chances of getting a playoff spot. And unfortunately, it just did not happen. When Jimmy Smith was not on the field, the dominant defense that was one of the league’s best defenses displayed subpar play overall without him. Tavon Young, the 4th round pick out of Temple, was a surprise and did well as a rookie but he had some struggles in crucial moments.
According to PFF (Pro Football Focus), Tavon Young received an “80.3” overall grade and was graded as the “3rd” best rookie cornerback in the NFL.
Moving Young back to nickel where he is at his natural position and getting a number 2 cornerback that can play on the outside with Smith can help the Ravens defense get back into 2016 form, where they were a dominant force and won games ultimately for the Ravens.