The Ravens have two top-notch pass catching tight ends in Dennis Pitta and Owen Daniels.
The missing piece was a blocker, and that's what the Ravens got in third-round tight end Crockett Gillmore.
The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder out of Colorado State said he considers himself a blocker first and foremost.
"I think championships are still won running the ball and playing defense," Gillmore said Friday. "So, I'd much rather be considered a blocker that can catch than a receiver that can block."
Gillmore has a defensive mentality that helps with his blocking.
Gillmore grew up as a wide receiver and defensive end in West Texas (Bushland High School). He was immediately converted to tight end when he went to college, but with the defensive line depleted by injuries, he shifted back to defensive end. He played 10 games as a reserve, making 11 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.
Though he played three full seasons at tight end, he's still relatively new to the position.
"I was studying the tight ends as a defensive player, and now that I'm a tight end, I'm studying the defensive players. So, it goes hand in hand. It helps itself out," Gilmore said.
"For me, a tight end is a guy that can play any position on the field; he just happens to be a bigger body."
Part of the reason Gillmore went to Colorado State is because the system there utilizes tight ends. It's similar to Baltimore and Gary Kubiak, who also likes to give his tight ends a lot of work.
Gillmore lined up everywhere in the Colorado State offense, from out wide as a receiver, in the backfield and as an end-of-the-line blocker. He caught 47 passes for 577 yards and two touchdowns in his final season. They're not gaudy numbers, speaking to his blocking.
Gillmore will be the third tight end behind Pitta and Daniels, who will assuredly be getting a lot of passes thrown their way. And Gillmore can learn more about being a receiver during his year behind them.
"I've watched Dennis and O.D. [Owen Daniels] for a long time – a Texas kid watching the Texans," Gillmore said with a smile. "So now that he's [Daniels] here, I can actually be in the offense with him. It's something special."
