The Baltimore Ravens are finalizing their big boards ahead of this week’s NFL Draft, and they are keeping an eye on every position.
However, some positions take precedence over others, and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec believes cornerback could be one of the team’s top needs.
“Marlon Humphrey is coming off a disappointing injury-marred season, Brandon Stephens is entering a contract year and a few of Baltimore’s younger corners have yet to establish themselves. The Ravens believe in adding cornerbacks every year, but it’s a necessity rather than a luxury this offseason,” The Athletic writes.
Getting some depth behind Humphrey will be key for the draft class, and they could look to draft someone early to eventually become their top cornerback. Humphrey turns 28 in July and the Ravens could save money if they cut him after the 2024 season, so adding a high-end cornerback could give them flexibility moving forward.
The Ravens’ team website has written extensively on players like Iowa’s Cooper DeJean and Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry, both of whom could be the team’s first-round pick but likely wouldn’t be available when the team is on the clock in the second round.
The Ravens are a deep team that just made it to the AFC Championship Game, so there aren’t many major gaps the team has to fill. That’s why cornerback will almost certainly be addressed before the team gets into the deeper part of the draft on Saturday.
