Defense. Defense. Defense.
It seems like defense is all general manager Ozzie Newsome cared about as the Baltimore Ravens used their first four picks, and five of their total seven, in the 2017 NFL Draft on defensive players.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, the Baltimore Ravens’ first-round draft pick, speaks during a news conference at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Owings Mills, Md., Friday, April 28, 2017. Humphrey was selected 16th overall in Thursday’s draft. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
The Ravens made sure they strengthened their defense, particularly against the pass, by drafting two defensive backs and three pass rushers. After taking Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey in the first round, Baltimore drafted Houston outside linebacker Tyus Bowser in the second round, Michigan defensive end Chris Wormley and Alabama outside linebacker Tim Williams in the third round, and Virginia Tech safety Chuck Clark in the sixth round.
Houston linebacker Tyus Bowser talks to the Baltimore Ravens on the phone during an NFL Draft watch party at his family’s home in Tyler, Texas, Friday, April 28, 2017. Bowser was drafted by the Ravens as the 47th pick in the NFL football draft. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph/Tyler Morning Telegraph via AP)
The picks came after Newsome and the Ravens’ brass have added two other starters on defense via free agency: former Arizona Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson and former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr.
FILE – In this March 20, 2017, file photo, newly signed Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Carr, right, speaks alongside coach John Harbaugh during an introductory news conference at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Owings Mills, Md. Ravens moved quickly in free agency to enhance a defense that faltered in the latter stage of a disappointing 8-8 season.General manager Ozzie Newsome fortified the backfield by signing Carr and safety Tony Jefferson. He also retained free agent nose tackle Brandon Williams with a $54 million, five-year deal. “We came out of the gates quick, we were aggressive, really turning over every stone,” Harbaugh said. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Baltimore is suddenly completely stacked in the secondary, and also has plenty of young pass-rushers to disrupt opposing quarterbacks.
“If you would have told me yesterday at 3 o’clock in the afternoon that I was going to pick four defensive players , I would have told you that you would not be correct,” Newsome said after the fourth round. “But that’s the way it played itself out.”
FILE – In this Feb. 24, 2016, file photo, Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome speaks during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. The Ravens moved quickly in free agency to enhance a defense that faltered in the latter stage of a disappointing 8-8 season. Newsome fortified the backfield by signing cornerback Brandon Carr and safety Tony Jefferson. He also retained free agent nose tackle Brandon Williams with a $54 million, five-year deal. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
The Ravens eventually drafted a pair of offensive linemen, selecting San Diego State guard Nico Siracusa in fourth round and Texas A&M tackle Jermaine Eluemunor in the fifth round. The two will add depth to an offensive line that lost two starters to free agency.
But the receiver position went unaddressed in the draft. Most fans and pundits expected the Ravens to use one of their early round picks to add a quality receiver, considering veteran star receiver Steve Smith Sr. retired and Kamar Aiken left for the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent.
Newsome told reporters that there were some offensive players, perhaps a receiver, that he was interested in drafting. But he said those players ended up going to other teams.
Newsome has long said he makes his draft picks based on the best player available. It’s the “Ravens way.” Head coach John Harbaugh said everyone in the organizations knows and respects that strategy.
“When you have the best player sitting there staring you in the face, you take him,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what we’ve done and it’s turned out to be defense. And we’re all happy with that. If it would have been four offensive guys, we would have been happy with that. This is just the way it’s gone.”
