Dynasty fantasy football is a year-round affair. A sharp manager will be thinking about all aspects of the dynasty season. Those managers keen enough to look ahead will be the ones who can grab themselves an edge over the competition. Industry professionals and content creators will spend most of the dynasty off-season discussing incoming rookies and the related topic, the NFL draft.
We easily fall in love with the next workhorse running back or prototypical alpha wide receiver. But a manager in tune with the entire draft class will find themselves ahead of the game. Whether it is the next road-paving interior offensive lineman or genetic freak edge rusher, we can find ourselves at quite the advantage come April by building an entire picture of how the 2023 class will play out. Those who prepare ahead of time will not often be surprised at the outcomes.
Credit for the most draft simulations goes to the NFL Mock Draft Database. Team needs are also generated from this site. Compensatory picks have not been assigned or included in this exercise, as the official totals have not yet been released.
2023 Season Recap
The Baltimore Ravens were the top team in the NFL during the regular season. They had the best record in the league, the league MVP, and the top rushing attack. Despite all the positives, Baltimore couldn’t turn their regular season success into playoff greatness. In particular, the Ravens came up short on the offensive side of the ball in the playoffs against the eventual champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Heading into 2024, the Ravens need to address several positions on the offensive side of the ball. In particular, the team must replace their highest-paid receiver and revamp their running back room. Last season, they lost their starting rusher again when JK Dobbins went down with a torn Achilles. These positions are vital to dynasty fantasy football and make the Ravens a team to watch closely in the upcoming draft. Without further ado, let us dive into the Ravens 2024 draft.
Mock Draft
1.30 – Troy Franklin, WR Oregon
The Baltimore Ravens have been attempting to surround MVP Lamar Jackson with weapons since the former Lousiville Cardinal arrived in Charm City. The Odell Beckham experiment will mercifully come to an end this offseason. At this point, former-round pick Rashod Bateman appears to be a miss. Zay Flowers is an excellent player to build around, but he needs some help in the WR room.
🚨First Round Prospect🚨
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) February 27, 2024
Troy Franklin, Oregon's top WR, has lit up the scoreboard this season posting:
– 1,383 receiving yards
– 14 touchdowns
– 17.1 yards per reception
With an IGA Score ™ of 97.9, Franklin's athleticism and game-breaking ability are evident. His blistering… pic.twitter.com/uQVA78nYIO
Franklin brings size, speed, and an excellent athletic profile to the table. He was an extremely successful college playmaker and would be an excellent complement to the current Ravens pieces. This beautiful scheme fit is made available only because this is an extremely deep WR class.
2.62 – Bralen Trice, EDGE Washington
Washington DE Bralen Trice (#8) might be the most unheralded pass rusher in this year’s draft class. It’s surprising how little attention he’s getting, even though he “should” be gone by the end of the 2nd round. 👀 #Browns #NFLDraft2024 #NFLCombine
— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) February 27, 2024
pic.twitter.com/cU7Cfr0Udk
The Ravens will head back to the West Coast for the second draft pick. Trice will help to add some much-needed depth to the Raven’s paRaven’sing group. Last season, the Ravens’ pass rush received an enormous boost with the late additions of Jadaveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy. Both players are free agents and may not return. Trice is an excellent player who could develop into a long-term starter along the defensive front for Harbaugh and company.
3.93 – Blake Corum, RB Michigan
This is one of the best fits in the entire draft. The Ravens have been snake-bitten by the running back position over the years. Injury after injury has robbed them of dynamic backfields. The Ravens have attempted to fix their issue by signing future Hall-of-Famer Derrick Henry.
F*ck it, Blake Corum 2023 highlights pic.twitter.com/XXRIvmyE6A
— JJ McCarthy Fan (@JJOneOfOne) February 2, 2024
In this mock draft, the Ravens fix their long-term problem by pairing him with Michigan workhorse Blake Corum. No team will have a better insight into this player. With his brother and father leading the Wolverines, John Harbaugh will know precisely the type of workhorse he is getting in Corum. Add in the fact that Corum is a Baltimore native, having played his high school ball in the city, and this is a match made in heaven. Corum would immediately slot in as the complimentary back and look to take control of the backfield in the next couple of seasons as Henry ages out.
4.131 – Zak Zinter, G Michigan
RG Zak Zinter isn’t going to pass up color in the hole to get to his man. sees the DE show up inside on the TE’s block and decides to just cave the whole thing in. Decent! pic.twitter.com/5plUuqyjTo
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) February 26, 2024
Here I have the Ravens going back to the Michigan well. Every NFL team could use some quality offensive lineman, and the Ravens are no different. Here, they get a player who started some big-time college football games and played well while doing so. Zinter is a two-time First Team All-Big-10 guard unanimously selected as a First Team All-American. He can develop into a long-term starter on the interior of the Ravens offensive line. If he lasts this long in the draft, the Ravens would be hard-pressed to do better with a player they have the inside scoop on.
4.134 – Jordan Jefferson, DT LSU
DL Jordan Jefferson really has some power to him. Here he absolutely blows up the center attempting to double team. An interesting developmental player on Day 3 of the draft. pic.twitter.com/01w6EB2BnL
— Thomas Christopher (@ThomasCP_NFL) February 26, 2024
Just like on the offensive side of the ball, NFL teams can never have enough linemen. Quality depth on the offensive and defensive line helps establish a team as a dominant power. Jefferson would help to add some nice depth to the interior of the Ravens unit. The team has been stout up the middle, and Jefferson would help keep that trend going in front of their All-Pro linebackers. Jefferson handled his transfer from West Virginia to LSU with flying colors, leading all defensive linemen on the team in tackles.
5.164 – Justin Eboigbe, DT Alabama
Justin Eboigbe, DT, #92
— Rapinas do Mar (Cortes) (@cortesrapinas) February 21, 2024
Muito forte no POA. pic.twitter.com/W08zuyFfnl
I have the Ravens double-dipping on the defensive lineman by selecting Alabama defensive tackle Eboigbe. You honestly cannot go wrong with choosing a lineman out of Bama. Nick Saban and company have turned the Crimson Tide into a defensive line factory. Eboigbe suffered a scary neck injury in 2022 but returned better than ever in 2023, earning first-team All-SEC honors. He would provide yet another quality defensive lineman for John Harbaugh and company.
7.226 – Jase McClellan, Running Back – Alabama
At this point in the draft, teams will be looking for value. Here I have the Ravens going back to Alabama, selecting McClellan. The Bama starting running back will provide some nice depth behind Henry and Corum in this mock and add another young back into the rotation. McClellan never broke the 1,000-yard barrier at Bama but still represents nice value at this point in the Ravens’ draft.
Alabama RB Jase McClellan puts Michigan CB Mike Sainristil to the turf with this sharp, quick cut.
— WBG84 (@WBG84) February 20, 2024
Also a nice burst of speed to finish the run for six. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/bLNTNONDSB
7.248 – Gabriel Murphy, EDGE UCLA
Although shocking his twin won’t be there too, Gabriel Murphy’s rise up draft boards will continue at #NFLCombine
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) February 22, 2024
Part of an elite @UCLAFootball EDGE unit, Murphy was a top EDGE all week at @ShrineBowl (including a game sack)
Should be a top-100 pick with future starter-ability pic.twitter.com/rfsT59HXje
For the Ravens’ last pick, I have them returning to the pass-rushing position. As mentioned, the team lost two big-time veteran pass rushers in Van Noy and Clowney. Murphy will certainly not be looked at as filling a major role out of the gate, but he still brings some nice traits to the table. Murphy is a little bit older, having played three seasons at North Texas before manning the defensive line for the Bruins these last two years. Despite his age, he has managed to get better each season, culminating in 2023, where he had 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks. In the seventh round, I’m sure Harbaugh and Company would love to give this kid a shot.
Final Thoughts
The Baltimore Ravens are one of the top teams in the NFL. Despite falling short in the AFC Championship game, they boast one of the most complete rosters in the NFL. As a result, they will get to draft primarily based on the principle of the best player available.
Adding Henry doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t go after another back, as the Ravens heavily use their rushing attack, and Henry is 30 years old. They could also look to the free-agent receiver market. No matter how they choose to go, the Ravens look poised to be again a force in the NFL heading into 2024. Stroking your dynasty rosters with players on explosive offensive units is always a good idea. One thing is for sure: with Jackson at the helm, the Ravens will remain one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. Get yourself a piece of their rosters if you can.
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