American Football

3 prospects at Ravens positions of need to watch for at 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

February 27, 2024

NCAA Football: Senior Bowl Practice — Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Who Ravens fans should be watching for during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

With senior all-star games in the review, the next big pre-draft event on the NFL calendar is the annual scouting combine in which Lucas Oil Stadium and its surrounding areas will be the league’s hub for the next week.

Behind the scenes, league executives and agents will be assessing interest and gauging markets for pending unrestricted free agents. Meanwhile, the incoming crop of rookie prospects will be trying their best to impress scouts, coaches, and evaluators with their athletic testing, receptiveness to instruction, interviews, and performance positional drills.

Here are a trio of prospects to watch for at each of the Baltimore Ravens perceived positions of need ahead of free agency which could be subject to change when the new league year begins on March 13.

EDGE

The Ravens had a pair of 10-year veterans lead their outside linebacker group in total defensive snaps and sacks with three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney and two-time Super Bowl champion Kyle Van Noy. There’s a chance that they could lose one or both players in free agency after they had career years in 2023 so replenishing their ranks with some inexpensive young talent could be paramount to maintaining their impressive success after the Ravens led the league with 60 sacks.

Laiatu Latu UCLA

The former Bruin has finished top 10 in the nation in sacks the past two years, recording 23.5 over that span, and is viewed as the most technically refined edge rusher in this year’s class. While he likely won’t test off the charts, he’ll be able to display his extremely violent hands and array of moves during positional drills. Clearing the extensive medical background checks and examinations will be key for Latu who was briefly forced to medically retire from football in college, leading to his transfer from Washington to another Pac-12 program.

Bralen Trice, Washington

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 11 Utah at Washington

The former Huskie led his team in sacks and tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons and totaled 18 in the past three years. Trice was strong in run defense as well and seemed to always come up with a play when his team needed a stop during their run to the national title game. He also is known for having strong violent hands and more developed moves as a pass rusher who can also move inside and take advantage of interior offensive linemen. Where he could separate and sell himself is during the interview process where the high character he displayed as a team captain can shine.

Chop Robinson, Penn State

The former Nittany Lion didn’t lead his team in sacks in either of the past two seasons and totaled just 9.5 during that span and two as a freshman at Maryland in 2021. However, he has perhaps the fastest get-off of any edge defender in this year’s class and is expected to test exceptionally well. The Ravens bet on elite athleticism over college production when they selected Odafe Oweh in the first round out of Penn State after he didn’t record a single sack in his final collegiate season and he has recorded at least five sacks in two of his first three seasons.

Wide Receiver

The Ravens made a concerted effort to revamp this position group last offseason and it paid major dividends as it helped propel quarterback Lamar Jackson to his second league-MVP-winning season and record a career-high in passing yards. While they’ve already brought back veteran Nelson Agholor and have a pair of talented former first-rounders returning in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, they will likely be losing three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency. The offense has long been needing a big-bodied outside presence at the position since trading away Anquan Boldin following their last Super Bowl run. Fortunately, this year’s class is chock-full of young wideouts that fit the mold of what they’ve been missing and they’ll be on full display this week in Indianapolis.

Adonai Mitchell, Texas

2023 Big 12 Championship - Oklahoma State v Texas

The former Longhorn came over from winning back-to-back national titles at Georgia and had the best season of his career. His 55 receptions for 845 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns were more than his freshman and sophomore year production combined and also averaged a career-high 15.4 yards per catch. He was a big-play merchant who could both stretch the field vertically and come down with contested catches. He is projected to run a fast 40-yard dash time and his ball tracking and adjustment skills will be an aspect of his game to look for during the on-field portion of the workouts.

Troy Franklin, Oregon

2023 Pac-12 Championship - Oregon v Washington

The former Duck impressively increased his production across the board every year he was in college and as a junior in 2023, recorded career highs in receptions (81), receiving yards (1,383), touchdowns (14), and yards per catch (17.1). Running a fast time in the 40-yard dash and catching the ball well could firmly put him in the range to come off the board in the backend of the first round instead of a consensus second-round pick.

Brenden Rice, USC

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: FEB 01 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and former Trojan recorded career highs in receptions (45), receiving yards (791), touchdowns (12), and yards per reception (17.6) as a senior in 2023. He was one of the brightest standouts at the position during the week of practice at the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl with the way he consistently gained separation at the top of his routes and came down with jump balls, especially in the red zone. At 6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, he is built like a natural ‘X’ receiver who can dominate on the outside and he’ll have ample opportunity to showcase his strong hands and refined route running this week in addition to turning in some impressive testing numbers.

Interior Offensive Line

The Ravens could have both of their starting guard spots open and up for grabs depending on what happens in free agency if neither John Simpson nor 2023 Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler are brought back. While the Ravens have several recently drafted in-house options to choose from, that won’t stop them from adding another horse to one of the races to become a starter in 2024 and this year’s class has many impressive interior offensive line prospects.

Graham Barton, Duke

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 12 Virginia Tech at Duke

The former Blue Devil played the majority of his collegiate career at left tackle but projects best as an interior player at the next level where he has experience and possesses the positional versatility to execute. An injury prevented him from being able to participate in the Senior Bowl but what he lacks in ideal arm length, he makes up for with his explosiveness off the snap and ability to mirror.

Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 28 Pop-Tarts Bowl - NC State vs Kansas State

The former Wildcat possesses the positional versatility to play both guard and tackle as well and is an absolute mauler in the run game where he can use this impressive athleticism to get on the run in space on pulls. He is projected to test well this week so expect to see him among the top linemen prospects at his position when it comes to his 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash and the broad jump.

Mason McCormick, South Dakota State University

The former Jackrabbit is one of the top FCS prospects in this year’s class and may very well wind up being the highest player from the two-time defending national champions to get drafted come late April. McCormick was among the brightest standouts at this year’s East-West Shrine game both in practice and the game where he made several highlight blocks on the move. A strong showing at the Combine would further boost his draft stock and likely cement him as a Day 2 lock.

Offensive Tackle

The Ravens are slated to have both of their veteran starting tackles back in 2024 as it currently but both Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses are coming off injury-marred 2023 season. Moses is entering the final year of his contract and would free up just over $5 million in cap space if he were to be released while Stanley could free up a sizable amount with a restructure but that would increase his cap hit in the 2025 which the final year of his deal. Finding an immediate replacement on the right side and an eventual replacement on the left is completely feasible this year given the stronger than usual tackle depth.

Amarius Mims OT, Georgia

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 11 Ole Miss at Georgia

The former Bulldog is one of the most athletically gifted prospects in this year’s entire crop of linemen and pound-for-pound athletes overall. He just might test his way into the top 20 or even 10 or 15 consideration by the end of the combine given how incredibly nimble and explosive he is for his size. The only knocks on Mims are his injury history which will be thoroughly examined and his lack of experience only being just a one-year starter for the Bulldogs which didn’t come until this past season and he still wound up missing time due to injury.

Jordan Morgan, Arizona

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: FEB 03 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The former Wildcat is one of the best tackle prospects in this loaded class who could be a starting guard of the present and the left tackle of the future if the Ravens opted to move on from either Stanley or Moses before or after the 2024 season. Morgan had a nice showing at the Senior Bowl last month and could further bolster his projected late first-round stock with a nice week of testing and interviews.

Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JAN 31 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The former Sooner only had one full year of starting experience in college but is widely viewed as a plug-and-play starter on the right side although he has experience on the blindside. He also attended and had a strong week down in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl and could help himself further with a good week in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Defensive Line

The Ravens’ top priority this offseason is finding a way to retain Pro Bowl defensive tackle Justin Madubuike whether that is via a long-term deal or on the franchise tag. However, replenishing their ranks in the trenches still makes a lot of sense and there are some intriguing prospects that could prove to be promising interior pass rushers.

Darius Robinson, Missouri

The former Tiger recorded 13 sacks in his last four years in college with the bulk of his production coming in his senior season where he logged career-highs with 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 2023. Robinson has been one of the fastest risers through the early going of the pre-draft process after he dominated at the Senior Bowl. While he is viewed as more of an edge defender, he would be more of a hybrid since he possesses the positional versatility to move inside and play either the three or five-technique in subpackages which just might be the best role for him as she showed several times down in Mobile going up against interior blockers. Look for him to test well among the defensive linemen which most 3-4 outside linebackers work with at the combine.

Braden Fiske, Florida State

The former Seminole racked up 19.5 career sacks in college, the bulk of which came during his four years MAC at Western Michigan but he was able to carry over that consistency and production in his lone season in the ACC with six sacks and nine tackles for loss this past fall in 2023. Fiske also made a great impression at the Senior Bowl with how he practiced, changed teams the day of the all-star game, and played the bulk of the game making his presence felt throughout. He’ll be able to shine the brightest during positional drills with his violent hands and during his interviews where he’ll be asked about and commended for high effort and his relentless pursuit.

Myles Murphy, UNC Chapel Hill

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: FEB 01 East-West Shrine Bowl

The former Tar Heel only recorded seven sacks in college but he showed at the East-West Shrine game that he can be a consistently disruptive force rushing the passer and collapsing the pocket up the middle. His explosive get-off will likely be proven by a fast 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash and he’ll perform well in the position drills as well.

Running Back

The Ravens only have two running backs under contract through next season in veteran Justice Hill and 2023 undrafted free agent Keaton Mitchell while Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Dalvin Cook, and Melvin Gordon are slated to be unrestricted free agents come March. Contrary to popular sports talk speculation, the team could be looking to get younger and spend less at the position which could result in them taking a prospect in the mid-to-late rounds.

Blake Corum, Michigan

2024 CFP National Championship - Michigan v Washington

The former Wolverine had a prolific last three years in college where he compiled 3,660 rushing yards including back-to-back seasons of 1,200-plus yards. He also had three straight seasons of scoring 11-plus touchdowns including a record-setting 27 during the team’s national title run in 2023. Corum is a great power back who runs hard behind his pads with a low center of gravity but he didn’t catch a lot of passes in college so showing that he is capable of contributing in that aspect of the game during drills at the Combine will be key to proving he can be an every-down player at the next level.

Frank Gore Jr., Southern Mississippi

The son of future Hall of Famer Frank Gore had a highly productive last two seasons in college for the Golden Eagles, recording back-to-back seasons of 1,100-plus rushing yards and 22 total touchdowns from scrimmage during that span (19 rushing and three receiving). He was the Offensive Player of the Game at the 2024 East-West Shrine game, showing off great burst, acceleration, and footwork, all traits that the drills at the combine will allow him to showcase as well.

Blake Watson, Memphis

College Football: 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl, Texas

The former Tiger is a converted wide receiver who recorded career highs across the board including in rushing yards (1,152), rushing touchdowns (14), receptions (53), receiving yards (480), and receiving touchdowns (three). Watson put his dynamic skill set and natural feel of the passing game on full display at the East-West Shrine game where he recorded 46 rushing yards and 65 receiving yards with an average of 10.8 yards per reception. He likely would’ve scored a touchdown on his final carry but he wisely took a knee in the field of play to allow his team to kneel out the rest of the game in victory formation. The combine is a place where he can really shine by running a fast time in the 40-yard dash, running crisp routes, and catching the ball well.

Cornerback

The Ravens are set to bring back both of their top two cornerbacks in 2024 but three-time Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey is coming off a down year that was marred by injuries and 2021 third-rounder Brandon Stephens broke out this past season but is heading into the final year of his rookie contract. Their immediate depth needs to be addressed even if they can bring back veteran stalwart Ronald Darby but they also might need a new starter on the outside in the years to come.

Cooper DeJean, Iowa

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 11 Rutgers at Iowa

The former Hawkeye had an elite last two college seasons in which he recorded 116 total tackles including five for a loss, 13 pass deflections, and seven interceptions—three of which he returned for touchdowns. DeJean is one of the most athletics defensive backs in this entire draft who could go as high as the top 15 especially if he blows up the combine with his testing numbers. In addition to being a lockdown corner, he can also play safety and contribute on special teams as a punt returner he was electric at Iowa where he recorded 406 return yards, a touchdown, and averaged 13.1 yards per return.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

The former member of the Crimson Tide has been the top corner for one of the nation’s top programs the past two seasons during which he broke up 22 pass breakups including 15 in 2022 alone. While the last two cornerbacks the Ravens selected from Alabama since taking Humphrey in the first round in 2017 haven’t been home runs, McKinstry could buck that trend as landing him would require using a first-round pick which he will most certainly be if he performs well this week.

Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State

The former Cougar only recorded three interceptions during his college career and none in 2023 and 15 pass breakups the last two years. However, at the Senior Bowl, he displayed tremendous ball skills during the week of practice and in the all-star game itself by coming up with a pair of interceptions—one of which he nearly returned for a touchdown. Smith-Wade could solidify his status as a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick with an impressive week down in Indianapolis.