Thursday evening, the actual NFL draft will begin and we'll see which of the latest mock drafts fared the best. Here's a final look at who pundits are targeting to the Ravens with pick No. 14.
DL Jordan Davis, Georgia
2021 stats: 14 games, 32 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
"I thought about cornerback and offensive line here, but the Ravens have a real need in the middle of their defense. Davis is a 340-pound space eater with rare physical traits. Baltimore had success with a similar player in Haloti Ngata, who set the tone for some of the greatest defenses in NFL history."
"I know this pick won't fill one of the most pressing needs for the Ravens, but they always lean toward drafting the best player available. Davis or Trevor Penning would make sense here, but I'll stick with the massive SEC DT prospect."
"This is probably the latest that Davis would come off the board. Even after signing Michael Pierce, Baltimore could use a massive, double-team-eating run-stopper like Davis to clog the middle of the field. We all know about his legendary combine workout by now – I mean, a 4.78-second 40-yard dash at 341 pounds is ridiculous – and if Davis stays at his current weight, he'll be a nightmare for opponents every Sunday."
"The league's No. 1 rush defense gets that much better after adding the 6-6, 341-pound Davis up front."
"The Ravens are always on the lookout for unique physical talents, and Davis has a ceiling coming into the league like Haloti Ngata did 16 years ago. So while this isn't Baltimore's biggest need, it's easy to see where new coordinator Mike Macdonald could make Davis a real foundation piece for the future."
"After a relatively unsurprising first 13 picks — the top three tackles, top four edge rushers and top three cornerbacks were all taken — the Ravens end up with "Godzilla." Davis, the top defender on the country's top defense last season, is one of the most athletic prospects in draft history. At 341 pounds, he's heavier than Brandon Williams and faster over 10 yards (1.68 seconds) than wide receiver Jamison Crowder were coming into the draft. According to MockDraftable, only one interior defensive line prospect has ever recorded a better broad jump than Davis — and he weighed 37 pounds less.
"Everything about Davis is big, including his potential impact in Baltimore. He's versatile enough to line up next to Michael Pierce on early downs, chase down running backs in zone schemes and shake off double teams in power schemes. With Davis anchoring their run defense, the Ravens could line up more often with two high safeties, strengthening their pass defense. If Davis can harness his strength as a pass rusher, he's an All-Pro-level talent."
OL Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
"Kudos to Good Morning Football's Peter Schrager for IDing Penning to the Ravens. The fourth tackle, clearly, on boards around the league would be a very good fit in Baltimore, where there's a hole at right tackle (31-year-old Morgan Moses due to fill it as of today) and where left tackle Ronni Stanley has struggled to stay healthy. Penning started 31 games at left tackle for Northern Iowa, and his size (6-7, 325) would play well on either side. I think the Ravens feel good enough about Stanley's future to not be forced into taking a tackle here. Picking a corner (Trent McDuffie would be very good value) will not surprise me."
"With Orlando Brown gone and Ronnie Stanley still a question mark, the Ravens need blockers."
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
"There is a good chance this pick is a lineman, but offense or defense? Penning is a big, athletic blocker with the mentality that will appeal to the Ravens."
"The Ravens could very well go defensive line here – Georgia's Jordan Davis makes a lot of sense – but fixing the offensive line should be the priority. Penning's technique needs to be cleaned up – especially his hands and punch timing – but his toughness and physical traits would work very well on the right side of the Ravens' offensive line."
CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
2021 stats: 11 games, 35 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 0 interceptions
"Jordan Davis was going to be my pick here (the Haloti Ngata comps), but with the big man from Georgia gone, the Ravens shore up their secondary instead."
EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue
2021 stats: 12 games, 39 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks
"Karlaftis is one of the more volatile prospects in this class. Opinions are all over the board. I value his talent here and believe that he would be a great complement to Odafe Oweh; speed on one side and power on the opposite."
C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
"The Ravens are looking for an interior stud and should focus on center with Kevin Zeitler serving well as right guard and Bradley Bozeman gone in free agency. Linderbaum, who has been working with former Iowa star turned Ravens legend Marshal Yanda, would be ideal inside."
