MASNsports.com is your online home for the latest Orioles and Nationals news, features, and commentary. And now, you can connect with MASN on every digital level. From web and social media to our new mobile alert service, MASN has got all the bases covered.
Get the latest breaking news direct to your phone with our mobile texting service.
Assuming that the Ravens stay with the 25th overall pick and don't end up trading down, they will have a number of options when they're on the clock.
Those options will be dictated, however, by what the teams in the 20-24 range choose to do. The Texans (who pick at 20) Bengals (at 21), Patriots (at 22) and Eagles (at 24) all have similar needs to the Ravens, so this will be a time when tight ends, wide receivers, defensive linemen and cornerbacks likely fly off the board.
I see more possibilities on the defensive side of the ball in the late first round, but here are three offensive players that I think might be a factor for the Ravens at 25:
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
6-foot-3, 224 pounds
Thomas has been linked to the Ravens in many mock drafts lately, and Joe Flacco probably wouldn't be too upset if the Georgia Tech wideout was Ozzie Newsome's pick late in the first round. Thomas has the ideal mix of size and speed (he'a a sub-4.4 guy), but his production (he played in a run-based offense at GT) and health (a broken foot has kept him limited in pre-draft workouts) might scare some teams away.
Neither issue worries me all that much; the injury isn't expected to be a lingering problem once the foot has completely healed, and while he didn't post consistently big numbers, Thomas showed his abilities his senior year, bringing in over 1,100 receiving yards and 8 TDs.
Some draft experts see this as "The Pick" for the Ravens, but I'm not so sure. I think they go another route in the first round and look to add a young wideout later on.
Maurkice Pauncey, C, Florida
6-foot-4, 304 pounds
OK, so Pauncey might be gone well before the Ravens are on the clock. He's a heck of a talent and is considered the top center in this year's class. But there's also a chance that the Florida product slides down the board a bit, as Michael Oher did last year. If Pauncey is still available at 25, the Ravens might be wise to snatch him up and continue to build a powerhouse offensive line.
Matt Birk is under contract for another two years, but will be 34 in July. Who better for Pauncey to study under for a year or two than Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl center who is known as one of the better students of the game?
This would be a typical Ozzie Newsome type of pick. Yes, the Ravens have needs at other positions, but like Oher last year, if Pauncey is still on the board at 25, he might be too good to pass up.
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
6-foot-5, 261 pounds
I wanted to come up with someone a little outside of the box here, but I couldn't leave Gresham off this list. There's a decent chance that the Bengals or Patriots snatch him up at 21 or 22, respectively, but Gresham he falls past New England, the Ravens might have their tight end of the future.
Gresham has some durability concerns and he needs to work on his blocking, but he's a fantastic pass-catcher and would be a big-time weapon for Flacco. He can learn the ropes under Todd Heap and work his way into the lineup slowly as a backup tight end.
Some have suggested that Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski might be an option for the Ravens at 25, but I don't see him going quite that high. If Gresham is available, he would be a solid choice.
