Predicting Baltimore Ravens' Training Camp Standouts

Training camp is almost here for the Baltimore Ravens.

They've worked hard to form a roster capable of competing for a Super Bowl, and the first step toward achieving that dream starts with camp. 

It's been a productive offseason for Baltimore in addressing arguably its biggest weaknesses from last year. However, several offseason losses have left some potentially new holes emerging.

With that said, here's a prediction of which Ravens will be the biggest standouts through training camp this year.

Kamar Aiken

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With Torrey Smith now with the 49ers in San Francisco, the Ravens are in need of another starting receiver opposite of Steve Smith Sr.

While Baltimore did spend a first-round pick on UCF receiver Breshad Perriman, he's a rookie entering his first NFL training camp. There's reason to expect him to struggle in training camp as he did in minicamp, per the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston, while getting acclimated to the NFL game. 

One pass-catcher who did perform well in offseason workouts is fourth-year receiver Kamar Aiken. He was the one getting first-team reps alongside Smith Sr. while making the most of them.

This was after Aiken had to fight his tail off just to earn a spot on the 53-man roster last year. With his spot now more secure while getting starter's reps, Aiken's feeling confident in himself.

“It makes you a lot better,” Aiken said, per Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. “I feel like just training-wise, you’re not thinking and you don’t have that in the back of your head, ‘I have to worry about this. I have to worry about that.’ It’s just more so, ‘How can I better my craft?’ So, I feel like that just gives you the edge to just go in and work on bettering your craft.”

Last year with the Ravens, Aiken caught 24 passes for 267 yards and scored three touchdowns over their final five games.

It became evident late last year he was a capable weapon in the offense, and that will continue to reveal itself in training camp. After all, the receiver-needy Ravens will need him to become that and then some.

Expect Aiken to be one of the biggest offensive standouts through training camp and into the preseason, and don't be surprised to see him earn a starting role for much of, if not all, the 2015 NFL season.

Will Hill

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2014 was a roller-coaster for Ravens safety Will Hill. 

Baltimore announced back in May of 2014 that the league hit the then-New York Giants safety with a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy. 

That was the third drug suspension Hill has had, and it led to the Giants cutting him just a few days later. At this point, it looked like Hill's NFL career could be over.

However, Baltimore would eventually sign Hill in hopes of bolstering its thin secondary. Once Hill's suspension was up, he would eventually earn a starting safety spot. 

From there, Hill started 10 games and finished the year with a 13.6 grade by Pro Football Focus. That's a quality grade, especially for someone who didn't play for essentially the first half of the regular season.

Now, Hill is entering just his fourth NFL season and in the midst of a contract year. According to Spotrac, Hill is making just $1.5 million in the final year of his contract. 

With Hill now in control of a starting job, familiar with the defensive system and on the verge of getting a big NFL contract, you better believe he is going to be a standout performer in training camp. 

With so much on the line, Hill has a lot riding on this year and how well he performs in camp, the preseason and into the regular season. 

Even with his background of drug-related problems, NFL teams will be willing to throw a big contract at him if he performs over a 16-game season the way he did in 10 games last year. 

Not only that, but Hill may very well be the Ravens' best or second-best defensive back. After all, his PFF grade was the highest of any Ravens defensive back last year. 

Expect Hill to be one of the biggest defensive standouts in training camp for Baltimore this summer.

C.J. Mosley

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Another defensive star entering his second year in Baltimore is C.J. Mosley.

The second-year linebacker was drafted out of Alabama in the first round (17th overall) of the 2014 NFL draft. He went on to have a great rookie season that saw him finish with an 11.3 grade from Pro Football Focus. 

That was the 10th-best of any NFL inside linebacker who played in at least 25-percent of his team's defensive snaps. Mosley also finished with a team-high 133 total tackles to go with three sacks and two interceptions. 

It was as strong of a season as you'll see any rookie have, and he should only be better in just his second full NFL season. Mosley could very well be Baltimore's defensive MVP this year.

ESPN recently polled 21 Ravens media members for their top 20 players on Baltimore's roster. Coming in at No. 4 was Mosley ahead of other defensive stars such as Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil and Brandon Williams. 

Scout.com recently did a ranking of every NFL middle linebacker. Mosley came in at No. 3 on its list, behind only Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers and Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers. 

That's how good Mosley could be this year. Expect him to be one of the—if not the—biggest performers in the Ravens' upcoming training camp now that he has fully learned the defense and become acclimated to the NFL.