The Baltimore Ravens have hired George Kokinis as a senior personnel assistant and promoted Mark Azevedo to an area scout, general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced Tuesday morning.
Kokinis returns to Baltimore after spending 18 seasons working closely with Newsome for the Browns/Ravens franchises. Last season, he was named Cleveland's general manager after serving 13 years in the Ravens' personnel department (director of pro personnel from 2003-08, assistant director of pro personnel from 2000-02 and Northeast area scout from 1996-99).
"It's good to have George back," Newsome stated. "He will help evaluate college and pro players, plus work with Pat [Moriarty, the Ravens' vice president of football administration]. "George knows the game, understands what it takes to win, and he will help us find players who will help us win. He has done that before for us."
Azevedo, who joined the Ravens as a personnel assistant in 2005, worked as a pro scout last season and will now evaluate college prospects in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions.
Below are the biographies for each:
GEORGE KOKINISSenior Personnel AssistantHobartYears with Ravens/NFL: 14/20Born: 2/27/67, Wethersfield, CT
2010: (with Baltimore): 2010:Named the Ravens' senior personnel assistant on June 1, Kokinis evaluates college and pro players and assists vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty with negotiating player contracts.* *
2009: (with Cleveland) 2009: Named the Browns' general manager on Jan. 26, 2009.
1996-2008: (with Baltimore) 2003-08:Kokinis spent six seasons as the team's director of pro personnel…In 2008,*Baltimore bolstered its special teams and solidified its depth with the offseason acquisitions of Pro Bowl special teamer Brendon Ayanbadejo and veteran DBs Jim Leonhard, Frank Walker and Fabian Washington, all contributors to a team that made an AFC Championship game appearance.2007: Ravens acquired Pro Bowl RB Willis McGahee from the Bills in exchange for future draft choices...Team retained OLB Jarret Johnson, who re-signed with the team during the spring...Negotiated the contracts of draft picks FB Le'Ron McClain and LB Prescott Burgess.2006: Negotiated the contracts of draft picks S Dawan Landry and DE Ryan LaCasse...Ravens acquired QB Steve McNair in exchange for an 2007 draft pick, re-signed OLB Bart Scott and also signed a number of significant free agent contributors: DT Trevor Pryce, who led the team with 13 sacks, DT Justin Bannan, CB Corey Ivy and OLB Gary Stills.2005: Negotiated the contracts of draft picks FB Justin Green and LB Mike Smith...Ravens signed two former Titans WR Derrick Mason and CB Samari Rolle, both of whom made an immediate impact in Baltimore.2003: Became the team's director of pro personnel, overseeing all aspects of the pro personnel department.2000-02: Promoted to the Ravens' assistant director of pro personnel in 2000...Conducted the advance scouting of Ravens opponents and provided reports to the coaches.1996-99: Was the Ravens' Northeast area scout for four years before moving over to pro personnel...Moved to Baltimore with the Modell franchise in 1996.1991-95: (with Cleveland) *Began his NFL scouting career with the Browns in 1991 after doing an internship in the team's operations department.
College/Personal:Graduated from Hobart College with a B.A. in psychology and earned his master's degree in sports management at the University of Richmond (1991), while working as a graduate assistant coach for the Spiders' baseball team...He played both football and baseball during his collegiate career, earning ECAC Baseball Player of the Year honors in 1989 as a pitcher for the Statesmen, and he was selected to represent the conference in a New York vs. New Jersey All-Star Game played at Yankee Stadium…A two-sport athlete at Wethersfield (CT) HS, George received the John Warren Potter Memorial Award, which recognizes competitiveness, school and team spirit and outstanding character...George and his wife, Elizabeth, have a daughter, Marissa (11), and twins Peter and Ella (6).
MARK AZEVEDO
Area ScoutColbyYears with Ravens/NFL: 6/6Born: 2/17/82, Plymouth, MA
2005-10: (with Baltimore) 2010: Named one of the Ravens' area scouts, assisting with the evaluation of college talent in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions. 2009: Azevedo was named a pro scout for the Ravens following the 2009 NFL Draft…Assisted area scout Joe Douglas in coordinating the 2009 post-draft free agent signing process…Also served as one of two advance scouts (with assistant director of pro personnel Chad Alexander) for seasonal opponents. 2007-08:Worked on team advance reports for the pro personnel department, including for then-director of pro personnel George Kokinis and current director of pro personnel Vincent Newsome…Also evaluated talent from 20 colleges covering the East Coast from Maine to Virginia…Assisted vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty moderate player contracts and salaries…Helped track and evaluate upcoming free agents…Coordinated pre-draft player visits. 2006: Advanced the opponents' special teams as a player personnel assistant. 2005: Joined the Ravens as a player personnel assistant.
2004: (with Springfield College) Graduate assistant coach for the fullbacks…Assisted with recruiting in the states of Florida, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
2003: (with Colby College) Worked with the football staff as a student with graduate assistant responsibilities.
College/Personal: A four-year contributor at tight end for Colby College…Won the Paul "Ginger" Frazier award after his senior season…Graduated with a degree in American studies and minor in administrative science in 2004…Attended Silver Lake Regional (Kingston, MA) HS, where he was captain of the football team his senior year, earning two letters…Also earned one letter in track…Son of Dennis and Diane Azevedo.
