Bill Belichick Regrets Not Drafting Lamar Jackson
If Bill Belichick could go back in time to the 2018 draft, Lamar Jackson would have been a New England Patriot instead of a Raven.
In Belichick's soon-to-be-released book "The Art of Winning: Lessons From My Life in Football," the former Patriots head coach and de facto general manager admits that not drafting Jackson in the first round was a mistake, per The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin.
The Patriots actually passed on Jackson twice, as they owned two first-round picks. They selected offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn at No. 23 and running back Sony Michel at No. 31. The latter was one pick before the Ravens traded back into the first round to take Jackson.
The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl that season and made the playoffs in 2019 in Tom Brady's final season in New England. They missed the playoffs in four of the ensuing five seasons while going 34-51.
Belichick can take some solace in the fact that every other team also passed on Jackson.
Ravens Take Roger Rosengarten in First Round of 2024 Redraft
Speaking of draft do-overs, The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner did a 2024 redraft.
The Ravens again landed offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, although this time they took him in the first round at No. 30 rather than the second round.
"After coming off the bench to start the year, Rosengarten seamlessly moved into Baltimore's starting lineup at right tackle and wound up having a very good rookie season opposite Ronnie Stanley," Baumgardner wrote. "A great athlete, Rosengarten's consistency and versatility gave Baltimore terrific value at No. 62."
Cornerback Nate Wiggins, the Ravens' actual first round pick last year, went to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 22 in the redraft.
"Wiggins proved to be another masterclass scouting job by the Ravens, who simply pick the best player on their board every time their name is called — and it almost always works out," Baumgardner wrote. "The Clemson product was up and down early last season, but he settled in just before the midway point and never looked back, finishing with 10 forced incompletions and eight pass breakups."
Ravens Go All Defense in Mel Kiper Jr. and Fields Yates' Three-Round Mock Draft
ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates conducted a mock draft in which they alternated picks.
Fields ended up making the Ravens' selections. Here's a look at his picks:
Round 1 (No. 27): Georgia safety Malaki Starks
"This is what the Ravens do in the draft. They patiently allow the board to come to them and then snag rock-solid prospects. Starks would check a box at free safety and represent good value at the same time. His instincts, versatility and ball skills would work well alongside Kyle Hamilton."
Round 2 (No. 59): Ohio State edge rusher JT Tuimoloau
"Baltimore's edge rush needs some work, especially with Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy entering the final years of their deals. Tuimoloau is ready to play right out of the gate; he's one of the most refined rushers in the class."
Round 3 (No. 91): South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr.
"Knight makes plays on the ball, with three forced fumbles, two sacks and a pick in his one season at South Carolina (he transferred from Charlotte after a few years at Georgia Tech). I like him next to Roquan Smith."
Mina Kimes Says 'League Will Be Infuriated' If Ravens Land This Player in First Round
In ESPN’s Mina Kimes’ latest war room mock draft, in which she presents a draft analyst with two choices for each team, The Ringer's Todd McShay selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker over Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Kimes loved the pick but said the rest of the league won't be pleased.
"I feel like the league is going to be infuriated that this man has fallen to the Baltimore Ravens," Kimes said. "What a fit."
McShay expressed a similar sentiment.
"This is a team that likes to run the football. It's a really good fit," he said. "If you go back to [former GM] Ozzie [Newsome], this organization is so patient, they wait, and there's always someone there. It feels like they're always picking in the twenties and there's always someone that falls to them, and I think that this would be another example. Knowing the Ravens, they might even move back three or four spots and still get a guy like Booker and get an additional pick.
Two Ravens Who Could Have Bigger Roles Next Season
Ravens Wire’s Glenn Erby identified five players who could have bigger roles for the Ravens next season. Here's a look at two:
RB Keaton Mitchell
"There are only so many carries with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill on the roster, but Mitchell is a home run hitter. Mitchell will look to get back to full speed after missing much of the season recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2023 campaign."
WR Devontez Walker
"When everyone is healthy, Walker is the fourth wide receiver on the Ravens roster at best, but he offers potential to be a deep threat. The rookie had one catch on three targets and a touchdown over nine regular-season games in 2024. The former UNC star was a healthy scratch until his NFL debut in Week 7 against Tampa Bay. The highlight of his first year was a 21-yard touchdown reception against the Giants for his first NFL catch in Week 15. Most of Walker's work came on special teams, as he logged 153 snaps and 55 on offense."
