As the Ravens head into the 2024 NFL Draft, we're taking a more detailed look at the top players projected to Baltimore with pick No. 30.
Today, we'll focus on Missouri edge rusher Darius Robinson.
Why He Makes Sense
Robinson has the tools Baltimore covets in its defensive system: an athletic, big body (6-foot-5, 285 pounds) who can rush the passer and set the edge. He began his college career as a defensive tackle, then moved to the edge in 2023 and became a big-time playmaker with 8.5 sacks and 43 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss. Drafting Robinson would give new Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr another chess piece to move around the front seven.
Here's the list of players pundits believe the Ravens could take with pick No. 30 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
OL Graham Barton, Duke
WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
OT JC Latham, Alabama
DE Jared Verse, Florida State
DL Darius Robinson, Missouri
WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
DL Kris Jenkins, Michigan
CB Mike Sainristil, Michigan
OT Troy Fautanu, Washington
CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
DL Byron Murphy II, Texas
DT Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois
WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
G Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
EDGE Braden Fiske, Florida State
WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina
WR Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington
Why He Could Make it to No. 30
Some scouts believe Robinson needs more polish to become a consistent pass rusher. Teams looking for instant impact may bypass him. Some mock drafts predict Robinson will go in the top 25, while others project him as an early second-rounder. That difference of opinion could land him in Baltimore's range.
What the Scouting Pundits Are Saying
"Robinson is a big, long and versatile defensive lineman. He lined up all over the Tigers' defensive front. As a pass rusher, he wins on the edge primarily with a violent push/pull move. He will flash some other means to get home, including a club/rip maneuver or a pop/separate/close move. He doesn't have a dynamic first step, but his raw power showed up in every game I studied. As an inside rusher, he loves to use a swooping arm-over move, but he needs to improve his pad level. He plays too high at times and gets stuck. Against the run, he dominates. He sets a physical edge and can shed blockers to get in on tackles. His evaluation is similar to Arik Armstead's coming out of college. He can do a lot of things well, and teams will have different visions for how to best use his abilities." - Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network
"Robinson is a work in progress because he played in an edge role in the Tigers' defense more this past season than he had previously -- 14 of his 21 career sacks came in 2023. He plays with power, has the reach to frustrate opposing tackles, is reliable in how he sets the edge and has versatility across the defensive front." – Jeff Legwold, ESPN
"Robinson is a powerful defensive lineman who can line up anywhere from 0- to 7-technique. He won't win with speed as much at the next level, but he certainly can with power. His strength profile projects to a rotational role as a floor with starting potential if he can continue to hone in his pass-rush plans." – Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus
