American Football

Joshua Reed’s 7-round mock draft: Ravens gain talent for present and future

April 25, 2024

NFL: APR 28 2023 Draft — Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Predicting every pick for the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft is nearly upon us and the Baltimore Ravens are gearing up to add what will need to an impactful rookie class after having so many departures of starters and key depth pieces on both sides of the ball since the new league year began.

Here are my best educated guesses on who general manager Eric DeCosta could be targeting with his nine picks this year, including three in the top 100. I took into account need, value, fit and reported pre-draft interest when making each selection.

First round:

No. 30 overall — Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Although it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ravens move up or stick and pick an offensive tackle with their first pick, cornerback is their second biggest need. The former Crimson Tide standout might very well be the best player available at this point on opening night and after not spending a top 100 pick at the position since selecting Marlon Humphrey at No. 16 overall in 2017 from the same program, this could be where DeCosta ends the streak. McKinstry comes with great pedigree, instincts and anticipation and experience having been a full-time starter since he was a true freshman which is rare for a Nick Saban defense. The Ravens believe in rotating their top three corners regardless of health status so he could see some regular time as a rookie even if he doesn’t make a single start. During his college career, he only recorded two interceptions but those low figures were more of a reflection of how much opposing teams respected him than a lack of ball skills because he still broke up 23 passes including a career-high 15 in 2022.

Second round:

No. 48 overall via trade with Jacksonville Jaguars — OT Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

After bypassing the offensive tackle position in the first round, the Ravens send a 2025 third and a 2026 fourth to trade up ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers to take their left tackle of the future and potential starting right tackle of the present. The former Cougar is one of the most athletically gifted linemen in this year’s draft with All-Pro potential and elite measurables at 6-foot-8 and 326 pounds with 34.25-inch arms. Suamataia is a former five-star recruit who transferred from Oregon after appearing in just one game as a serve at left tackle and was a two-year starter at BYU, starting 12 games on the right side in 2022 and 11 games on the left last season. Having just turned 21 years old in January, he is still just scratching the surface of his full potential and paired with Ravens’ renowned offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, he can realize it in Baltimore.

Third round:

No. 93 overall — Javon Baker, WR, UCF

NCAA Football: Central Florida at Oklahoma

Due to the incredible depth of this year’s class at the wide receiver position, the Ravens get a steal of a pick in the later part of Day 2 with the former Knight. Baker can add an element to the Ravens wideout corps they currently don’t have a specialist in as a dangerous vertical threat with contested catch ability both of which he has in spades. Once he transferred from Alabama to UCF, his college career took off as he got an expanded opportunity to show what he was capable of. He was the Knights leading receiver the past two years and is coming off a senior season in which he recorded career highs with 1,139 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and 21.9 yards per reception which was the second-most in the nation. Baker attended the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl where he was one of the brightest standouts and was one of the prospects the Ravens brought in for one of their top 30 pre-draft visits.

Fourth round:

No. 113 overall — Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State

The Ravens land yet another potential mid-round gem at outside linebacker with the former Ram who was a highly productive and consistently impactful edge presence in college. Kamara is a bit undersized at 6-foot-1 and 248 pounds with 32-inch arms but he is very athletic and uses his lack of ideal measurables to gain a leverage advantage when rushing the passer or setting the edge against the run. He was a standout at the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl and tested very well at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash, leaping 10-foot-3 in the broad jump, and recording 23 reps on the bench press. Kamara racked up 29.5 sacks, 45.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles during his collegiate career including a career-high 13 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in 2023 on his way to earning Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors.

No. 130 overall — Mason McCormick, OG, South Dakota State

The Ravens pick up their second offensive lineman of the draft and add another stud to the competition for one of the starting guard spots with the former Jackrabbit. McCormick is one of the best small school prospects in this year’s draft who was a four-year starter in college which included making 57 straight to close out his career for the two-time defending FCS national champions. He proved he could dominate high-level competition at the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl and tested well at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Don’t be surprised if the Ravens try to target him a little earlier, fearing he might not last until the late fourth.

Fifth round:

No. 165 overall — Blake Watson, RB, Memphis

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 28 Memphis at North Texas

The Ravens round out their backfield with one of the most underrated and dynamic running back prospects in this year’s draft. The former Tiger is a converted receiver who brings a lot of upside as a pass catcher both out of the backfield or lined up in the lot against linebackers and safeties. His skill set is one the offense doesn’t currently have at the position to the degree he can be utilized. Despite being one of the brightest standouts at the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl, Watson wasn’t invited to this year’s NFL Scouting Combine but he still wound up testing extremely well at his Pro Day, running 4.39 in the 40-yard dash and jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical leap and 11-foot-3 in the broad jump. In his final collegiate season, he recorded over 1,600 yards from scrimmage including a career-high 1,152 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns and added another 480 receiving yards and three scores on 53 receptions.

Sixth round:

No. 218 overall — Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: FEB 03 Reese’s Senior Bowl

While the Ravens re-signed Malik Harrison and brought back Chris Board, both are on one-year deals. The former Huskie is the prototypical late-round flier the team typically targets on Day 3 whether it’s in the final rounds or as a priority undrafted free agent. Ulofoshio was a team captain for the 2023 NCAA national title runner-ups who walked on, worked his way up the depth chart by competing on special teams and eventually earned a starting role on defense. He also attended the Senior Bowl where he was a standout during both the week of practice and the game then boosted his draft stock further by testing extremely well at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. In his final collegiate season, he recorded career-highs across the board with 94 total tackles including eight for a loss, three sacks, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception he returned 45 yards for a touchdown.

Seventh round:

No. 228 overall — Trey Taylor, DB, Air Force

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 26 Air Force at San Diego State

The free agency departure of Geno Stone whom DeCosta called probably the best seventh-round pick in franchise history left an unheralded playmaker-sized hole on the Raven safety depth chart. With their second-to-last pick in this year’s draft, they take a swing at hopefully finding another who fits the mold with former Falcon who is the cousin of Ravens legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed. Taylor had a great final collegiate season in which earned the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award after recording 74 total tackles, including five for a loss three interceptions and four pass breakups. The Ravens brought him in for one of their top 30 pre-draft visits and he’d provide additional value as a core special teams contributor.

No. 250 overall — Karsen Barnhart, OL, Michigan

With their final selection in this year’s draft, the Ravens will add a third offensive lineman in the former Wolverine who was starting experience playing four of the five spots with the exception of center. He made 31 career starts for the reigning NCAA Division I national champions, is excellent at executing pull blocks and would bolster the depth at multiple spots. The Ravens met with the athletic lineman ahead of Michigan’s Pro Day back in March so he certainly will be a prospect they’ll be monitoring as Day 3 comes to a close.