Ravens' 2018 Draft Class Makes NFL History

Entering the 2018 NFL Draft, Ozzie Newsome, who had been the Baltimore Ravens' general manager since they relocated in 1996, knew it'd be his last in charge of the team's front office, as his protege Eric DeCota was set to succeed him after the season.

In spite of that, or maybe because of it, Newsome delivered arguably the best draft class of his illustrious career.

The Ravens' first pick of the draft, tight end Hayden Hurst, admittedly disapppointed in Baltimore, but they made up for that in spades by trading up and selecting two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackso with the final pick of the first round.

Then on Day 2, the Ravens selected offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and tight end Mark Andrews in the third round, both of whom are among the better players at their positions.

Some of their Day 3 picks, such as cornerback Anthony Averett, safety DeShon Elliott, center Bradley Bozeman and defensive lineman Zach Sieler, also ended up becoming impact players, either with Baltimore or another team. That even goes for some undrafted free agents, including cornerback Darious Williams and running back Gus Edwards.

Seven years later, Newsome's final draft class looks like a generational one for not just Baltimore, but the NFL as a whole. With Sieler signing a three-year, $67.75 million extension with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, the Ravens' 2018 draft class has now generated more money in future contracts than any other in league history, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.