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I'm playing catch-up a little bit here, but in between John Harbaugh stopping into the media room, me grabbing some lunch (which was fantastic roast beef sandwiches provided by the Ravens), and the two recent Ravens draft picks, things have been busy lately.
Dennis Pitta was the Ravens' fourth-round pick, coming to Baltimore with the 114th overall selection.
But the BYU tight end feels like he should have gone much earlier.
"I definitely think I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder," Pitta said in a conference call, "because I have high expectations for myself and I'm confident in my abilities. And when you see guys get picked before you, you always want to measure yourself to them. And I feel like some teams missed out on a great opportunity to draft me, but I think the Ravens made a smart move, and I'm excited to be in Baltimore and compete for the job."
Projected by many as a second or third-round selection, Pitta slipped down to the middle of the fourth, possibly because of concerns over his age.
You don't find too many 24-year-old rookies, but Pitta went on a two-year LDS mission after his freshman year at BYU which makes him older than your average draft pick.
At 6-foot-4, 245, Pitta has a good frame and possesses impressive speed as well. While he needs to improve his blocking, he's considered a good pass catcher and could develop into a nice red zone threat for Joe Flacco.
"I definitely think that I'm someone who is able to stretch the field vertically and create mismatches in the passing game," Pitta said. "I need to continue to develop to be a complete tight end and continue to work hard in blocking and all that, but I think definitely I'll be able to contribute in some passing situations."
The Ravens had a big hole at tight end entering the draft, but by taking Oregon's Ed Dickson in the third round and Pitta in the fourth, that position could now be considered a strength.
Pitta admitted he was surprised the Ravens targeted him considering they had selected Dickson a round earlier, but said he's ready to make the most out of the situation.
"I'm definitely excited about the opportunity," he said. "It's going to be a great environment to be in, a great organization that I'm coming into, and I couldn't really ask for a better situation. And being able to play with a guy like Todd Heap, who has done a great job at the position, it's just going to be a real treat for me."
