Left Tackle Prospect Josh Simmons Expects to Be Healthy for Pro Day in April
Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who has been linked to the Ravens in several mock drafts, said he is ahead of schedule in his rehab from knee surgery and will probably be cleared for a mid-April Pro Day.
In six games prior to his injury, Simmons was given an 82.0 pass block grade by Pro Football Focus, along with a 68.7 run block grade and 6% pressure rate allowed.
Ronnie Stanley is a pending free agent, and while the Ravens are “optimistic” about re-signing him, they will need a replacement at left tackle should Stanley depart. Stanley played and started every game last season for the first time in his career and returned to Pro Bowl form after being an All-Pro in 2019.
Roger Rosengarten won the starting job as a rookie right tackle and the Ravens have confidence that he's capable of sliding to the left side. However, Baltimore could elect to draft Simmons with the 27th pick if Stanley leaves. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said the Ravens might even consider trading up to get Simmons.
"If Ronnie Stanley were to depart in free agency and say it's a Simmons or someone like that that they really like and have a high grade on, there's not a lot of depth of starting tackle caliber players in this draft," Jeremiah said on a conference call. "So that would be more in line with my thinking there."
Emmanwori, Malaki Starks Make Their Case to Play Next to Kyle Hamilton
Nick Emmanwori and Malaki Starks both model their game after Kyle Hamilton and said they would love to join him in Baltimore’s secondary.
During Friday's defensive back workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, Emmanwori and Starks made compelling cases to be the first safety drafted. Emmanwori knocked it out of the park and had one of the best Combine workouts ever, while Starks also excelled in all-around workouts.It remains to be seen if either Emmanwori or Starks will be available when the Ravens pick at No 27, but their talents were obvious. Emmanwori had the seventh-fastest time in the 40-yard dash (4.38) and his combination of size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), speed and leaping ability led to a home run performance.
Starks aced every drill and solidified his resume as a potential first round pick.
He will continue Georgia's pipeline into the NFL, and if Starks is available at No. 27, the Ravens may see him as a plug-and-play safety to pair next to Hamilton.
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron is another player potentially on Baltimore's radar who had a strong day, running the eighth-fastest 40-yard dash (4.3) among defensive backs. Barron has reportedly been extremely impressive during his interview sessions, and he fits virtually any defensive scheme due to his ability to play, corner, safety and slot. Some scouts believe Barron is a top-10 talent.
Will Strong Workouts by Running Backs Sway Ravens to Take One?
This year's running back class at the Combine showed speed to burn Saturday, with Bhayshul Tuten of Virginia Tech leading the way in the 40-yard dash (4.32).
The Ravens are stacked at running back with All-Pro Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali. However, with Baltimore having 11 picks, there's a possibility Baltimore could take a back on Day 3.
Baltimore signed Mitchell as an undrafted free agent in 2023, and he made explosive plays before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Several backs showed breakaway speed on Saturday, hitting a top speed of over 23 miles per hour, according to NextGenStats.
