
Ravens' Draft Stock Watch: 4 Players Rising and Falling on Baltimore's Board
At the end of April, the Baltimore Ravens will be on the clock, making their first selection of the 2015 NFL draft.
Many of this year's best prospects will be long gone when Baltimore makes its first pick at No. 26. However, the Ravens have been as good as anyone at finding star-caliber players later in the first round.
Baltimore drafted C.J. Mosley (17th), Joe Flacco (18th), Jimmy Smith (27th) and Ben Grubbs (29th) in the second half of the first round, and all went on to become quality NFL players.
Various players' draft stock will continue to rise and fall throughout the next few weeks, but here are four players who are rising or falling down Baltimore's board.
Stock Up: Jaelen Strong
1 of 4
The Ravens could draft a receiver in the first round, and Arizona State's Jaelen Strong will be a name to watch out for.
In 2014, the 6'2", 213-pound Strong caught 82 passes for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was a physical specimen who could beat defenders deep while also outmuscling them for jump balls.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, he gave scouts a glimpse into what makes him a great receiver, posting a 4.44-second 40-yard dash to go with a 42-inch vertical leap.
Most receivers would rest on that kind of performance and not do much at their pro day. That wasn't the case with Strong, who recorded a 4.19 short shuttle and 7.33 three-cone drill.
According to NFL.com's Gil Brandt, Strong caught everything thrown his way during passing workouts. His stock continues to rise to the point that he's a lock to go in the first round, and Baltimore could be the destination.
Stock Down: Randy Gregory
2 of 4
Randy Gregory was once thought to be a lock for the top 10. Things have dramatically changed over the offseason, and now his stock is plummeting.
Whether it's enough to actually make him slide several spots in the draft remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: No team is going to feel quite as confident picking Gregory as it would have been before the combine.
That's where Bleacher Report's Matt Miller confirmed that Gregory started combine training as low as 218 pounds. That's extremely light for an outside linebacker, and it's impossible to play at that weight in the NFL as a defensive end.
Gregory was once projected as a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB, but it's looking as though he'll never be big enough to be a full-time defensive end.
Now, he has admitted he failed a drug test at the combine due to marijuana use, per Kimberly Jones of NFL.com. Failing a drug test when you know it's coming is beyond foolish, and it will almost certainly cause his stock to drop.
Will it actually cause him to fall all the way to Baltimore at pick No. 26? Just last year, Timmy Jernigan failed a combine drug test and fell out of the first round to Baltimore in the middle of the second round.
There's also the possibility the Ravens trade up to select Gregory somewhere in the teens. Ozzie Newsome isn't afraid to pull the trigger to go up and get someone.
Whatever happens, Gregory is now a possible target for the Ravens. After it once looked impossible he would fall far enough for the Ravens to make a move on him, issues with Gregory's size and drug use may now lead to him sliding to pick No. 26 in the first round.
Stock Down: Sammie Coates
3 of 4
The Ravens lost their best deep-threat receiver this offseason when Torrey Smith left to sign with the San Francisco 49ers.
No prospect in this draft resembles Smith more than Auburn's Sammie Coates. His specialty is getting deep and winning the jump-ball battles that Smith excelled at doing.
Pairing a burner like Coates with Joe Flacco's cannon arm would be a great match, but Coates' stock is taking a bit of a hit heading into the draft.
According to WalterFootball.com, some league contacts “haven't been very excited about Coates," who's now viewed as a Day 2 prospect. Ironically, the Ravens drafted Smith in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft after it looked as though he might go in the first round.
Baltimore needs to take a receiver early in this draft, and Coates could be the man in the second round if the team doesn't select one in the first.
Stock Down: Jalen Collins
4 of 4
The Ravens' biggest weakness in 2015 was their secondary, and the lack of depth at cornerback was the primary culprit.
Injuries knocked Asa Jackson and Jimmy Smith out for the year, while Lardarius Webb played average at best. Adding another corner is a must early in this year's draft after Baltimore didn't add one in free agency.
LSU Tigers standout Jalen Collins will be a guy to watch for early in this draft after he routinely shut down many opposing receivers during his college career.
The 6'1", 203-pounder has a nice combination of height, weight and speed (4.48 40-yard dash) that allows him to cover any type of receiver.
Unfortunately, he recently underwent foot surgery, and anytime a prospect has a procedure done before the draft, it can hurt his stock.
It caused Collins to miss his pro day, which could have helped boost his stock. Still, as long as his foot issue isn't serious, he'll be in play for teams like the Ravens that need a corner.
You won't see many 6'1" corners who can move and cover as well as Collins can, and if his foot checks out, he'd be a great option in the first round for Baltimore.
.png)
.jpg)








