Baltimore Ravens Day 3 2014 NFL Draft Primer

With the first two days of the 2014 NFL Draft having concluded, the Baltimore Ravens are now getting set for Day 3. 

They've been very productive in the first two days of the draft and addressed several areas of need.

However, there's still work left to be done for Baltimore if they hope to get back into the playoffs and contend for the AFC North title. 

Here's a look at what to expect from Baltimore in Day 3 of the draft.

Day 2 Recap and Analysis

After making just one pick in the first round, the Ravens made three selections on Day 3, all of which came in the top 100. 

Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State

With the 48th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, the Baltimore Ravens got nose tackle Timmy Jernigan out of Florida State. 

The 6'2", 300-pound lineman notched 108 tackles (19 for a loss) and six sacks over the past two seasons for the Seminoles.

In the Ravens' 3-4 defense, he figures to play nose tackle if Haloti Ngata switches over to defensive end. This was a steal in the first round and helped fill a big need on the defensive line for the Ravens. 

Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State

With the 79th pick, the Ravens got a much-needed safety in the form of Terrence Brooks out of Florida State.

Brooks fills a huge need for the Ravens in their secondary. He's an athletic freak who blankets the field and man the free safety spot that figures to be vacated when Matt Elam moves to strong safety. 

This past season with the Seminoles, Brooks recorded 56 tackles and two interceptions. He will challenge Darian Stewart for the starting free safety spot in training camp. 

Crockett Gillmore, TE, Colorado State

The Ravens' final pick of Day 2 came in the form of Colorado State tight end Crockett Gillmore.

As a senior in 2013, the 6'6", 260-pound Gillmore started all 14 games and caught 47 passes for 577 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Ravens needed to add some youth at TE at some point in the draft, and they did so with this pick. Gillmore will have opportunities to earn playing time as a rookie, and he could step into a bigger role in 2015 when Owen Daniels' one-year deal expires.

Updated Needs for Ravens

John Bazemore/Associated Press

1. Cornerback

Asa Jackson, Chykie Brown, Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb are the only cornerbacks on the roster right now. Webb and Smith are two solid starters, but there's not much behind them. 

Brown and Jackson combined to play just 39 defensive snaps in 2013. Cornerback is something the Ravens must address early in Day 3, and they probably should draft another later on as well. 

2. Offensive tackle

Ricky Wagner is the projected starter at right tackle after Michael Oher left in free agency. Wagner played in just 131 offensive snaps in 2013, so he's a big unknown.

The Ravens need to add another tackle on Day 3 to at least challenge Wagner for the starting right tackle spot. Expect them to draft one early on Day 3, and possibly even another one with their final pick. 

3. Wide Receiver

Outside of Torrey Smith, no other Ravens receiver had more than 524 receiving yards in 2013. Baltimore receivers also only caught 13 touchdowns—11 of which came courtesy of Smith and Marlon Brown.

Smith is coming off a career-best 65 catches for 1,128 yards with four touchdown catches, but he needs someone else to take the pressure off him and prevent defenses from double-teaming him. 

The team did add Steve Smith in free agency, but he turns 35 on May 12 and is coming off one of the least productive seasons in his 14-year NFL career.

4. Running Back

The Ravens ground game was among the worst in the NFL in 2013, and they need to add another running back to push Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce.

Speaking of which, Rice could miss the start of  the 2014 season due to a suspension resulting from his offseason arrest Pierce is also recovering from offseason surgery on his shoulder.

Baltimore needs more insurance in their backfield, so expect the, to take a RB at some point. 

Top Day 3 Targets

Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood

Cornerback is the biggest need for the Ravens right now, and Lindenwood's Pierre Desir is the best prospect on the board at the position. Desir has grabbed 13 interceptions and deflected 30 passes over the past two seasons.

He might not play immediately as a rookie, but he's got the potential to develop into a quality NFL corner. B/R's own Ian Wharton gave Desir a first- to second-round grade. 

If the Ravens are able to get him in the fourth round, it would be a huge steal and would fill a big need. 

Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor

Surprisingly, the Ravens have yet to draft an offensive lineman, and they could use depth at all five spots on the line 

The 6'5", 329-pound Cyril Richardson is one of the better run-blocking guards in this class, and he helped pave the way for the nation's No. 13 rushing offense.

He could come in and be great depth behind Kelechi Osemele and Marshal Yanda at guard. With both of those players' contracts set to expire in 2016, Richardson could be groomed to be the eventual replacement for one of them. 

Brock Vereen, S, Minnesota

The younger brother of New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen, Brock Vereen has shifted between cornerback and free safety in college. He could provide the Ravens depth at both positions.

Vereen began his senior season at FS before moving back to cornerback for the final seven games, and he earned First Team All-Big Ten honors after getting 59 tackles and six pass deflections. 

Jalen Saunders, WR, Oklahoma

Saunders weighs in at a mere 5'8" and 164 pounds, but he is a ball of fire when the ball is in his hands.

Saunders started all 13 games in 2013 and grabbed 61 balls for 729 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also an electric returner, with 31 career punts for 465 yards (15.0), including three scores.

Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State

Lawson was named first-team All-Mountain West as he ranked third in the Mountain West and tied for 19th in the nation in passes defended (13), as well as registering 53 tackles and leading the team with four interceptions to go along with five tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

He would be a solid pickup at CB for the Ravens this late in the draft. 

Antone Exum, CB/S, Virginia Tech

Another combo defensive back, Exum was projected to be one of the top cornerbacks in college football coming into the 2013 season, but he tore his ACL playing in a basketball game in the offseason.

Exum missed the first seven games of 2013 while returning from ACL surgery and then missed the last three with an ankle injury. 

Prior to missing most of his senior season, Exum had accounted for 182 tackles (8 TFLs), 6 INTs, 41 pass deflections and 5 forced fumbles.

Michael Sam, DE/OLB, Missouri

Sam is the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, thanks to his terrorizing of opposing quarterbacks this. He racked up an SEC-leading 19 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

The Ravens are one of several teams who've shown interest in Sam, and he'd be a quality backup outside linebacker to add somewhere on Day 3. 

Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida

Roberson was among the best corners in college football in 2012 when he finished second in the SEC with 14 passes defensed, and he was named to the AP All-SEC Second Team.

Injuries cut his 2013 season short, and now he's waiting to hear his name called on Day 3. 

Allen Hurns, WR, Miami, Fl.

In 2013, Hurns played in all 13 games while leading his team with 62 receptions and 1,162 receiving yards and was second on team with six touchdown receptions.

He set the single-season school record in receiving yards, breaking the mark previously held by Leonard Hankerson, and his 62 receptions are the third-most in single-season at Miami.

Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, Boston College

The undersized 6'1", 235-pound Kevin Pierre-Louis registered 108 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2013.

He could be a nice backup pass-rusher to spell Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs. He also looks like a guy who would be solid on special teams on coverage units.

What Are the Experts Saying?

Jamison Hensley of ESPN believes Brooks is the perfect fit for what the Ravens needed at safety: 

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He is the type of rangy center fielder that the Ravens need and allows Matt Elam to move to strong safety. A former cornerback, Brooks covers a lot of ground with his speed. When playing center field, he makes good initial reads and doesn't put himself in bad positions. With good upper-body strength, Brooks plays much bigger than his size and is an aggressive hitter. He has the reputation of being a driven player.

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I agree with Hensley on this Brooks is arguably the best free safety in this draft, and he'll challenge for a starting spot as a rookie 

Hensley also questions the Ravens' reluctance to address the offensive side of the ball:

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New Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has to wonder what's going on. The Ravens needed an offensive tackle, wide receiver, tight end and running back. But the Ravens' first three picks have been all defensive players, including two from national champion Florida State.

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Another good point by Hensley is made here. While it's hard to knock any of the Ravens' picks, they needed to address several areas on the offense, and tight end wasn't the biggest need on that side of the ball.

Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun isn't exactly sure how Jernigan will fit with the Ravens: 

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He has drawn high marks for being a disruptive interior lineman who plays with power, but has also been criticized by analysts for his lack of ideal size and mobility.

Jernigan's arrival follows the Ravens losing defensive tackle Arthur Jones in free agency to the Indianapolis Colts, with whom he signed a five-year, $33 million contract.

It's unclear where he'll line up as Jernigan was regarded as a stronger fit for 4-3 schemes, and the Ravens primarily run a 3-4 base defense.

"

The Ravens may need to experiment with Jernigan to find the perfect role for him in the Ravens' 3-4 defense. That said, he's an extremely talented player who they'll find a way to get onto the field and contributing at a high level.

Predictions for Day 3

Ravens draft two offensive lineman

The Ravens need to bolster their offensive line depth, so on Day 3 they'll probably go for an offensive tackle first, then look for a guard or center after that. Their offensive line was horrendous in 2013, and they badly need to add some fresh talent to that unit.

Ravens draft a cornerback

The Ravens currently have just four cornerbacks signed to the roster. They need help in the defensive backfield, and they'll address that with one of their Day 3 picks.

Ravens draft a running back

With Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce and Justin Forsett being the only running backs on the roster, and all three having durability concerns, the Ravens will likely draft a back on Day 3.

According to Draft Insider's Tony Pauline, expect Baltimore to draft a RB before the end of the fourth round:

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I'm told to expect the Ravens to grab a running back by the time the fourth round closes out. Two names I've heard connected with the team for a while are Jeremy Hill of LSU in round two or possibly Terrance West in the fourth frame. Hill has been drawing rave reviews from scouts for his underrated pass catching skills. The Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons are another pair of teams hot after Hill.

"

Updated Baltimore Ravens Mock Draft

Round 4, Pick No. 134 (compensatory): Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami, Fla.

Once viewed as one of the top lineman prospects in this draft, Henderson has never quite lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him in college.

A mammoth 6'7", 340-pound mauler, Henderson could develop into the starting right tackle the Ravens need. 

At this point, he's the best tackle left on the board, but he'll need a lot of work before he becomes a capable NFL lineman. 

Round 4, Pick No. 138 (compensatory): Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor

The Ravens need to bolster their interior offensive line depth and Richardson would be a great pickup at this point. He's the best run-blocking guard in this draft, but his pass-protection skills leave a lot to be desired. 

With a few years of development, he could become a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive guard. 

Round 5, Pick No. 175 (compensatory): Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State

Lawson was named first-team All-Mountain West as he helped Utah State's defense rank seventh in the nation with just 17.3 points allowed per game this past year.

He tied for 19th in the nation in passes defended (13), notched 53 tackles and led the team with four interceptions.

Round 6, Pick No. 194: Jalen Saunders, WR, Oklahoma

With the attributes mentioned in an earlier slide, Saunders gives the Ravens depth at both wide receiver and on special teams at returner.