Searching for Playmakers

The Ravens scouts and coaches traveled to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine this week and will keep a close eye on players that are tough in the trenches.

The team needs to add players on both the offensive and defensive lines.

One player that could be an immediate fit is Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning, according to NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah.

“The way he plays, the physicality, he’s huge,” Jeremiah said in a conference call with the media. “He’s 330 pounds. He’s almost 6’7”. One of my favorite nuggets on him was the guy literally watches horror movies the night before the game to get into character. I can think back to my time in Baltimore when we had Orlando Brown, Zeus, the original Orlando Brown, and I thought, oh, my gosh, this would be Zeus reincarnate here with Trevor Penning.

“That would be kind of a great fit for them.”

Penning’s stock has risen over the past several weeks and he might not be available when the Ravens make their first-round selection with the 14th overall pick.

However, another option could be Georgia’s defensive tackles, Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt. Both of those players have the potential to make an impact in their first year and fit with the physicality of the Ravens. They also have the pedigree as winners, capturing last season’s FBS championship with the Bulldogs.

“When you look at the defensive tackles that would be kind of in the mix there where they’re picking, they go big,” Jeremiah said. “If you want to go big, you could definitely do that with Jordan Davis. They’ve always had big guys like that, so I could see that making some sense there, while a guy like Devonte Wyatt would maybe give you a little bit more interior pass rush. But the Ravens have a long history of enjoying the company of large human beings, and Jordan Davis and Trevor Penning would fit that bill.”

It’s not fair to compare EDC’s first few drafts to Ozzie’s. But, finally picking in the top half of the round, & with plenty of “currency” to wheel & deal, this draft is a huge one for the Ravens…and the GM’s legacy, writes @devpanchwagh #RavensFlockhttps://t.co/oO0vPRr641

— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) March 1, 2022

The Ravens have also been linked to Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross, Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum, Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner,  Texas A&M offensive tackle Kenyon Green, Georgia defensive end Travon Walker, among others.

Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta was typically cagey when talking about options for the first round. The Ravens are prepared for anything and could move up or back because they have flexibility with 10 selections.

“If we’re comfortable trading back to [Pick] 20 thinking a guy might be there and he’s an offensive lineman, then we’ll take him,” DeCosta said. “If there happens to be a [salary] cap casualty on March 18th and that guy looks like he can make our team better, then we’ll probably try to swoop in. That’s basically our mindset. If a team calls us and offers a guy and we have the draft capital to make it happen, potentially that’s something that we might look at.

“There are a lot of different ways to build a team. For me, it always is based on the fit of the player, how does he fit what you do, does he fit your culture, do you have a need and can you afford him?”

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