One Perfect Offensive Line Target For the Ravens In Every Round Of The NFL Draft

If you gave opposing defensive coordinators their choice of any one device at their disposal to try to mitigate the brilliance of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the would probably be an overwhelming response:

Saddle him with a weak offensive line and swap out Todd Monken calling plays for him with some dude who just turned 30 and has never called a play in the NFL.

Well, um, if the Ravens had to play a football game, the two-time MVP might truly be taking the field with one arm tied behind his back. No one can say with any certainty whether Declan Doyle will be up to this task, learning on the fly with a unicorn QB and a team with Super Bowl expectations, and the state of the Ravens offensive line, days ahead of the draft, is perilous at best.

This is absolutely a position group they will be doubling down on, maybe tippling down. Even if they don’t use all 11 picks no matter how the draft unfolds, and with glaring short-and-long terms needs and/or at tackle, guard and center, there is a lot of work to be done. There are candidates galore to command their attention no matter which pick is on the clock, and we just happen to have a perfect candidate for the in every round.

Day One

Kadyn Proctor, LT, Alabama: He’s my guy and I’m sticking to it. Too many evaluators I have known and trust for too long have told me he is the best left tackle prospect in this draft. Ideal size and athleticism and I don’t care that he was 390 pounds over a year ago. I’m all in. He has potential to be a top five overall player in this draft, from a program they love, and if they get a chance to grab him at 14 that’s a massive win. Start at guard for a year … or replace Ronnie Stanley in October or whatever if that ankle finally gives out for good.

Day Two

Chase Bisontis, LG, Texas A&M: Plug-and-play starter at guard – settled in on the left side last year – who definitely has a shot to be part of an inevitable run on offensive linemen late in Round One. Don’t love his injury history from his sophomore year but looked rugged and durable last year. Has the lateral quickness the Ravens demand and plays with a nasty streak they covet.

Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech: I think the mocks are off on how high this kid will go, but for these purposes let’s pretend they are right. Evaluators I spoke to who watched him at the Senior Bowl, where the guard took reps snapping as a center, were impressed. “Wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the best center in this draft if that’s what you need him to be for you,” one general manager told me. While the Ravens took Tyler Linderbaum in the first round, centers are usually more of a Day Two play (Creed Humphrey, best in the biz, went pick 63). I watched a fair amount of Georgia Tech football (which explains my Haynes King fetish – HYPER SAT STORY), and they seemed to run their offense through a guard insomuch as that’s possible.

Day Three

Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State: A lot of people think the Ravens could grab PSU guard Vega Ioane in the first round, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least. Eric DeCosta has a kid who went there and is close to the program and they draft a lot of Nittany Lions. Shelton started 24 games, was a solid Big 10 left tackle and has the athleticism the Ravens love. Arms are long enough. He’s going to be a work in progress, but the Ravens love this kind of timeline developing OL.

Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama: Team captain who is basically the exact same size as Linderbaum was at this stage and has many of the same characteristics. Everyone who had met with the kid loves him around the league. Program produces a lot of superior IOL. “He makes a lot of sense for them,” another general manager told me. HYPER -

Diego Pounds, OT, Mississippi: Good enough size, started 24 games at a top program that run an NFL offense. Some scouts believe his athletics, but with other limitations, will lead him to guard at the next level. Ravens need plenty of help there now and long-term. Strong showing at Shrine Bowl created some late buzz. Kid gave up zero sacks on 550 pass-blocking reps. Consider me intrigued.

Beau Stephens, G, Iowa: Kid spent five years at one of the Ravens favorite programs; one that DeCosta probably has the deepest ties to of all, and one famed for producing NFL starting-and-reserve OL talent. Three-year starter. Never left campus in the era of NIL and dabbled some in the past on the defensive line. How many Ravens boxes does this kid check? Not the ideal prospect in totality, of course at this stage of the draft, but he fights and he’s tough and that gives you a chance.