Ravens Get an A for Day 2 Picks Mike Green and Emery Jones Jr.
Edge rusher was arguably the Ravens' biggest need heading into the draft, and they got a consensus first-round talent at the position in the second round last night in Marshall's Mike Green.
How unlikely was it that Green, who led the FBS with 17 sacks last season, would end up in purple?
There was less than a one percent chance he would be available when the Ravens were on the clock with the 59th-overall pick, according to ESPN's Draft Day Predictor, via Jamison Hensley.
Green's fall from the first round stems from his disclosure at the NFL Combine that there have been two allegations of sexual assault against him, both of which he denied. Green also said that he'd never been charged.
General Manager Eric DeCosta said the Ravens "investigated this situation very thoroughly" and they "are comfortable with Mike."
The Ravens addressed another need when they selected versatile offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. of LSU in the third-round with the 91st-overall pick.
NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter gave the Ravens an A for their Day 2 selections.
"Green went lower than many expected, potentially for off-the-field reasons. There's little doubt about his on-field talent," Reuter wrote. "He's not the biggest edge rusher, but he gets past offensive tackles with bend, quickness and the occasional bull rush move.
"Jones was announced as a tackle on Friday night and looked more athletic during NFL Scouting Combine drills than I expected. He also has the versatility to make the move inside to guard if needed."
NFL Network's Bucky Brooks praised the Ravens for consistently nailing the draft.
"The Baltimore Ravens do what they do. They just sit and pick. They wait for good players to fall," Brooks said on the “Move The Sticks” podcast. "The Baltimore Ravens appear to always feast on others' mistakes. The fact that they're able to get [safety] Malaki Starks in the first round and come back on Day 2 and they get Mike Green. He was a guy we talked about being a top-20 pick … and here you are in the second round and he's right there, and the Baltimore Ravens scooped him up.
"It's just like, here they go again. And then later they come and get Emery Jones, just another guy that fits. The one thing that always stands out with great organizations is they understand their identity and they always pick players that suit their identity."
Green Is an A+ Pick, 'Big-Time-Steal'
Here's a look at pundits' grades and reactions to the Green selection:
CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson: "Grade A+. I had Mike Green as my 13th-ranked player on my big board. … One of the most athletic edge rushers in this draft class. He reminds me a lot of Will Anderson. He's 6-3, about 250 pounds. Plays with his hair on fire from the first snap until the last snap. He had 17 sacks, 33 hurries last season for Marshall, and that is going to translate to the next level. This is an A+ pick for the Ravens given that Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo are in the final year of their deals. Expect to see a lot of Mike Green next year on the field for the Baltimore Ravens."
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso: "Grade: A+. Vintage Ravens selection once again. Let the draft come to them. Green had first-round production at the smaller-school level and first-round athleticism. Does need to add considerable power to his game but is long and has elite-level bend. The type of outside rusher Baltimore's defense needs."
The 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino: "Grade: A+. Baltimore always gets the most value at key positions, so it's not shocking they find Mike Green in their laps. Green is explosive and a tremendous finisher, which is what Baltimore has lacked from its pressure-based scheme. He can make a mark in Year 1."
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer: "Grade: A+. The Ravens pull off another big-time steal for the defense. This shows they did due diligence on looking into Green's background to feel comfortable enough with him off the field to take his explosive, productive outside linebacker profile to boost their pass rush on the field."
USA Today’s Nick Brinkerhoff: "Grade: A+. Baltimore's done it again in the second round by getting one of the best prospects in the class well after they were originally expected to be selected. Green's off-field concerns likely led to his drop. Baltimore is getting a productive edge as Green led college football in sacks in 2024 with 17. This may end up as one of the best steals of the draft."
The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman: "Grade: A. If the Ravens are comfortable with Green, then they picked up The Athletic's 10th-ranked player at 59. It's a risk, nevertheless. Green (6-3 1/8, 251) was uber-productive at Marshall last year, with 17 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss. He totaled 84 tackles and was a first-team All-American."
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski: "Grade: A. The Baltimore Ravens did it again. They see value and draft it, just as they did in the first round with Georgia safety Malaki Starks. Marshall's Mike Green is the most natural pass-rusher in this year's draft class not named Abdul Carter. … Green's explosiveness off the edge is undeniable. He has the traits to be a long-term elite pass-rusher."
For The Win’s Christian D’Andrea: "Grade: A. You know what? Just put the Jesse Pinkman 'he can't keep getting away with this!' GIF here. That's about how everyone feels about the latest stud to fall right into John Harbaugh's lap."
USA Today’s Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: "Grade: A-. There's little question that the Football Bowl Subdivision leader in sacks can electrify the Ravens' pass rush, but more questions will follow this choice."
Pro Football Focus: "Grade: Very Good. Green's off-the-field concerns led to his slide in the draft, but from an on-field perspective, he has the talent to be one of the biggest steals. He earned 90.0-plus grades in each of the past two seasons and dominated a lower level of competition. Green recorded 17 sacks in 2024, posting a 20.2% pass-rush win rate and a 9.4% run-stop rate."
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.: "Edge rusher Mike Green was the 18th-ranked prospect on my Big Board based on his on-field play. When the Ravens came on the clock at No. 59 on Friday, he was the only player in my top 35 still on the board not named Shedeur Sanders. Green had 17 sacks last season and is explosive. He mixes up pass-rush moves and uses his speed to get home on the QB. So there's a lot to like about his scouting report, and the Ravens need edge rushing with Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh both entering the final years of their deals."
Hensley: "Green was one of the most disruptive forces in college football last season. His 22 tackles for loss ranked only behind Abdul Carter, who was selected No. 3 overall by the New York Giants. His 51 quarterback pressures were tied for sixth-most in the FBS. Many believe he addressed how he would perform against top-tier competition when he dominated at the Senior Bowl. The video of Green bowling over Oregon tackle Josh Conerly at the Senior Bowl went viral."
NFL.com’s Eric Edholm: "On tape, he looked like a top-15 talent, able to bend the edge, convert speed to power and display some force in the run game."
Jones 'Yet Another Smart Pick' for Ravens
Here's a look at pundits' grades and reactions to the Jones selection:
Dochterman: "Grade: A. Jones (6-5 ¼, 315) started for three straight seasons at right tackle for LSU and twice earned second-team All-SEC honors. His arm length (34 ¼) and hand size (10 ¾) could keep him outside while his position coaches finalize his eventual landing spot. But it's likely he'll get a crack at playing tackle at some point in his career. Per usual, a smart pickup for the Ravens."
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame: "Grade: A-. Jones is an interesting prospect at 6' 5" and 315 pounds. With the Tigers, he started 36 games, all at right tackle. Still, despite having good arm length at 34¼", he projects to kick inside and play guard in the NFL due to a lack of foot speed on the edge. With terrific experience at a top-end program, Jones should be a long-term starter."
Trapasso: "Grade: A-. Has experience at OT and OG who plays with a calculated/patient style and never opens the gate too early, so his outside shoulder is a real challenge to get around. Has to play with more nastiness although there are charging climbs to the second level that stand out on film. Effective in space. One of the many smart OL selections in the middle portion of the draft by the Ravens over the years."
Iyer: "Grade: B. The Ravens make yet another smart pick to fill a need for a run-blocking right tackle with swing backup potential behind Roger Rosengarten and Ronnie Stanley."
Middlehurst-Schwartz: "Grade: B. A sturdy blocker at 6-5 and 315 pounds, Jones can obscure some of his shortcomings by moving inside to guard. His discipline can falter, but he can be a force in the run game."
Brinkerhoff: "Grade: B. Jones primarily played tackle in college opposite Will Campbell but likely will end up as a guard in the NFL. He has good size and solid athleticism but may not have the technique and skills to hang at tackle. If not, he'll provide good depth and potential starter down the line on the interior."
Valentino: "Grade: B-. Moving inside to guard will fix most of Emery Jones' problems, and the Ravens have a need for immediate help there. Experienced in the SEC, Jones profiles as someone who can grow into a role and take gigantic leaps throughout his rookie season. He has the tools to be a starter by Year 2."
SB Nation’s Joseph Acosta: "Grade: B-. Jones was outside my top 100, but among the guards left on the board he's the best guy for the Ravens' scheme. He's a competitor with power in his frame, but needs to work on his feet in order to stick at tackle. The Ravens need competition at guard, and Jones can become a starter there."
Sobleski: "Grade: C. The Baltimore Ravens love big, physical and burly offensive tackles. They don't necessarily worry about polish or exactly where they'll play. They want to dominate at the point of attack. LSU's Emery Jones Jr. fits their profile to a T. Much like former LSU teammate Will Campbell, Jones stepped into the Tigers' starting lineup as a true freshman and never relinquished the job. Also like Campbell, many projected the right tackle as a conversion project to guard."
Pro Football Focus: "Grade: Below Average. The Ravens address depth concerns on their interior offensive line with Jones. While he is still a raw player and didn't generate overly impressive PFF grades at LSU, it may be due in large part to playing out of position at tackle. His long arms and good anchor in pass protection led to a 67.4 PFF pass-blocking grade, showing his potential."
Edholm: "Jones is a player I've always pulled for because he has all the tools to be special, but the tape is just inconsistent. Interesting that the Ravens listed him as a tackle; some teams projected Jones inside, but his length and athleticism could work outside.'
Hensley: "The Ravens addressed their top need on offense by taking Jones. He's a three-year starter known for his run blocking, but he has been effective in pass protection. Jones could get a chance to compete with Andrew Vorhees for the left guard spot, which is the only starting job up for grabs on the NFL's No. 1 offense."
Should Ravens Consider Drafting Shedeur Sanders?
The biggest story of the draft is Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who had been projected to be a first-round pick, still being on the board entering Day 3.
Ravens Wire’s Glenn Erby said Baltimore should consider selecting Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback and former Raven Deion Sanders, if they get the opportunity. The Ravens have eight picks today, including two in the fourth round (Nos. 129 and 136).
"Lamar Jackson is an MVP quarterback and one of the faces of the league, while Cooper Rush was just signed to be the experienced backup quarterback in case of emergency," Erby wrote. "Still, John Harbaugh adding Sanders to a juggernaut with an elite star at quarterback could be what Sanders needs in his development before DeCosta can flip a more mature passer into essential assets in the next two years.
"With Lamar Jackson as a mentor, he'd develop under an established quarterback."
The Ravens added a quarterback on Day 3 last year when they selected Devin Leary in the sixth round.
Pundit on Steelers' Third-Round Running Back: 'Honey, I Shrunk Derrick Henry'
Yahoo! Sports analyst Nate Tice had high praise for running back Kaleb Johnson, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round at No. 83.
Tice likened the Iowa star to a smaller version of Derrick Henry.
"My comparison for him is, 'Honey, I shrunk Derrick Henry,'" Tice said. "Same running style, a little upright. Great on zone because he gets north; that's where the Arian Foster comparison comes from. Good size."
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Ravens Select Mike Green in Second Round
- Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr was named one of NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha’s Day 2 winners for the addition of Green one night after the Ravens selected the top safety prospect in Starks.
- The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec looked at the best available players for the Ravens on Day 3.
