The Ravens were visibly happy to get wide receiver Breshad Perriman with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2015 draft.

After all, as Head Coach John Harbaugh told WBAL Radio, the Ravens had him ranked 14th or 15th on their big board, to which they stay true.

But Perriman came close to not being the pick.

As the Ravens neared their pick, they had multiple options.

Just as Owner Steve Bisciotti predicted to fans in early-April, pass rushers had slid down the board. A pair, Kentucky's Bud Dupree and Missouri's Shane Ray, were inching ever closer. While Harbaugh and Newsome said they liked Ray, Harbaugh told WBAL Ray wasn't going to be the pick.

General Manager Ozzie Newsome picked up the phone and had some talks about moving up. Then, Newsome simply said, "they got picked."

The Steelers took Dupree at No. 22 and the Broncos moved up five spots from No. 28 to grab Ray one spot later. Suddenly, it wasn't looking so good in the Ravens draft room with two more picks to go before they were on the clock.

"I get concerned about everything. We were sweating it quite a bit," Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta said.

DeCosta said the Ravens' draft board got "wiped" in 2012 and 2013. It was so depleted that they traded back into the second round in 2012 and 2010. And for a little bit, it looked like that might happen again.

"This year we finally got something to fall our way," DeCosta said. "We were getting wiped out, but fortunately he was there."

The Cardinals took offensive tackle D.J. Humphries at pick No. 24. The Panthers followed with outside linebacker Shaq Thompson at No. 25. The Ravens didn't waste any time turning in their draft card for Perriman, the speed-size combo receiver with loads of upside.

"Once Carolina made its pick, I got on the phone and called Breshad," Newsome said. "We probably would have traded back, yes, if he didn't make it to us."

The Ravens took Perriman with wide receivers Phillip Dorsett (Miami) and Jaelen Strong (Arizona State) still on the board. Cornerback Byron Jones (Connecticut) went to the Cowboys with the next pick.

DeCosta had accurately predicted the Ravens' first-round pick in eight of the past 10 years. Now make it eight of the past 11.

"I didn't get it right this year, I hate to say it," DeCosta said. "Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part. Just one of those years. But in saying that, I was close and I'm ecstatic to get the guy we got."