Ravens Q&A with Jamison Hensley

Sun reporter answers readers' questions about the NFL draft

Baltimoresun.com staff

April 24, 2008

Andrew, Ellicott City: Is there any chance that the Ravens pass on Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan if he's there at No. 8? And how likely is it that he falls to their pick?

Jamison Hensley: There's no way the Ravens will pass on Ryan at No. 8 because he would clearly be their top-rated player if he slipped that far. He could be their starter for the next decade. The problem is other teams feel the same way. There are three major hurdles standing in the way of the Ravens and Ryan. The Atlanta Falcons (No. 3) and the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 5) both could pick him, and the New England Patriots (No. 7) could trade down to allow another team to jump up for Ryan.

I was confident that Ryan could be there at No. 8, but that was before the Miami Dolphins signed Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long. I suspect the St. Louis Rams will take LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey at No. 2, which likely means the Falcons will go with Ryan at No. 3. But crazier things have happened.

Ben, Rockville: Will the Ravens look in this year's draft for Ray Lewis' successor, or do you feel that his successor is already on the roster?

Jamison Hensley: Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said earlier this month that the Ravens are interested in keeping Lewis for the future. That says to me that the Ravens aren't looking for an eventual replacement for Lewis. Based on the Ravens' free-agent moves, they probably aren't going to be taking an inside linebacker high in the draft. They signed Brendon Ayanbadejo and Nick Greisen, who will be the top backups inside.

Brent, Stewartstown, Pa.: Shouldn't backup running back be a need the Ravens address? After the release of Mike Anderson and Musa Smith, there is little depth, and if Willis McGahee goes down, the Ravens' season will be sunk.

Jamison Hensley: The last time the Ravens were this thin at running back was 2001, and they paid the price. That was the year Jamal Lewis went down with a season-ending injury in training camp and the Ravens had to sign Terry Allen as a free agent. The Ravens' only backups now are Cory Ross and P.J. Daniels, both inexperienced players. I suspect the Ravens will draft a running back (but not in the first two rounds) and might sign another veteran after the draft. Musa Smith is still available to be re-signed.

Eli: If the Ravens don't end up with Ryan, which of the other quarterbacks are they most likely to draft -- Louisville's Brian Brohm, Michigan's Chad Henne, or Delaware's Joe Flacco?

Jamison Hensley: Here's how I would rate them: Flacco, Henne and Brohm.

Flacco has a big arm and has the confidence to make the tough throws. The fact that he came from a small school doesn't seem to bother the Ravens. Henne is an experienced passer (47 starts in the Big 10) and is a hard worker, which is considered big by the Ravens. He has questionable decision-making, but the Ravens think that is coachable. Brohm, who is rated higher by most people, doesn't have ideal arm strength for the NFL and is not a vocal leader, something that the Ravens want out of their quarterback.

Lazar, Belgrade, Serbia: I know there's no clear-cut top cornerback in this year's group, but based on what you've heard from the Ravens, how do you think they rank the top three or four prospects?

Jamison Hensley: Even though the Ravens really need a corner, taking one in the top 10 would be a mistake because there are so many question marks about this group. The top three are: Troy's Leodis McKelvin, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Kansas' Aqib Talib. McKelvin has bad hands, Rodgers-Cromartie comes from a small school and Talib has character issues. Because there's too much risk here, I would wait until the second or third round before taking a corner.