Retirement leaves Ravens with void at QB

When and where the Ravens grab a quarterback in the 2008 NFL draft is now a matter of heightened urgency - if not to the team, then at least to the fans.

Whom they get, having lost Steve McNair to retirement, will be a product of the poker game the draft has become.

Several pundits around the country have Matt Ryan - easily the most polished quarterback in this year's lottery - falling to the Ravens with the eighth pick, despite the fact at least three teams picking ahead of the Ravens need help at that position.

As ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said recently, it would take a "perfect storm" of events to deliver the former Boston College ace to Baltimore. But on draft day, anything is possible.

Here's a scenario:

The Miami Dolphins take one of the Longs - offensive tackle Jake of Michigan or defensive end Chris of Virginia - with the first pick and the St. Louis Rams take the other Long with the second.

At No. 3, the Atlanta Falcons need a quarterback to remove the odor from the Michael Vick mess, but a new front office might deem it better to start with run-stuffing defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of LSU. After the Oakland Raiders take playmaking running back Darren McFadden of Arkansas, the Ravens have to sweat out two more quarterback-needy teams.

The Kansas City Chiefs, picking fifth, want Jake Long. Without him, they might trade down. The New York Jets could use the sixth pick on Ryan, but have other pressing needs. The New England Patriots are not in the market for a quarterback at No. 7, but might be in the mood for a trade.

And if Ryan falls all the way to the Ravens, it will be a win-win situation, according to NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock, who describes Ryan as a "true franchise quarterback."

"Knowing Matt pretty well, I'd love to see him go to Baltimore," Mayock said on a conference call this week. "Baltimore's a better team [than the teams picking earlier] and had a down year. They're closer to being good."

Mayock was only slightly hesitant to compare Ryan with Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.

"From an emotional toughness mind-set, he reminds me of Peyton Manning," Mayock said. "If he gets beaten up a little as a rookie, it's just going to make him better. Matt's the kind of kid who can take a beating, learn from it and move on."

Kiper, meanwhile, likens the 6-foot-4 1/2 Ryan to members of the gilded 2004 quarterback class that included Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger - both of whom have won Super Bowls - and Philip Rivers.

"He's very similar in the way he goes about his business," Kiper said.

What that means for the Ravens is anyone's guess. Another team they have to watch is the Carolina Panthers, who hold the 13th pick but might be interested in trading up to get Ryan.

Because Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has said he wants to get more picks, not fewer, it's unlikely he'd forfeit those picks to move up.

Which might leave him looking at the second tier of what is viewed as a pedestrian quarterback class. Some team likely will chase Delaware's Joe Flacco into the bottom of the first round ahead of the Ravens' 38th overall pick.

In that case, they could wind up with one of the next three quarterbacks - Louisville's Brian Brohm, Michigan's Chad Henne or Southern California's John David Booty.

If they waited until their third-round pick (No. 99 overall) or the fourth round (106), they probably could get Tennessee's Erik Ainge, San Diego's Josh Johnson or Kentucky's Andre Woodson.

Interestingly, Johnson played for former Ravens quarterback Jim Harbaugh - brother of Ravens coach John - at San Diego. Last season, against lesser competition, Johnson threw 43 touchdown passes and only one interception. But he's a project and wouldn't be ready to step in like Ryan if needed.

There is at least one nagging issue with Ryan. In 43 games at Boston College, he threw 37 interceptions. He addressed the subject with reporters at the NFL scouting combine in February.

"As a quarterback, you never want to turn the ball over," he said. "We did that a good amount this year, but when you're aggressive with the ball, sometimes mistakes are going to happen.

"Ultimately, I think wins are the most significant stat, but no question, you've got to turn the ball over less if you want to be a successful quarterback in the NFL."

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Six QBs who could be draft targets for the Ravens

Matt Ryan

College: Boston College

Size: 6-4 1/2 , 227

2007 passing stats: 4,507 yards, 31 TDs, 19 INTs, 59.3 completion pct.

Kudos: Has the intangibles the NFL wants, including poise, intelligence and toughness. Elevated everyone around him at Boston College in an 11-3 season. Threw for more than 400 yards four times in 2007.

Knock: Interceptions were a problem. Threw 19 last season and 37 for his career in 43 games. Also can be streaky with his accuracy. Four times he completed less than 50 percent of his passes last year.

Joe Flacco

College: Delaware

Size: 6-6, 235

2007 passing stats: 4,263 yards, 23 TDs, 5 INTs, 63.5 completion pct.

Kudos: Best arm in the draft, ideal size, throws very accurate deep ball. Very heady player. Took Delaware to the Championship Subdivision championship game.

Knock: Level of his competition is a concern. He faced only one Bowl Subdivision team last year (434 yards, four touchdowns against Navy) and its defense was a shambles. Also, he split his snaps under center and in the shotgun, a concern for some.

Brian Brohm

College: Louisville

Size: 6-3, 228

2007 passing stats: 4,024 yards, 30 TDs, 12 INTs, 65.1 completion pct.

Kudos: Had a terrific junior season when Bobby Petrino was the coach and there was ample talent around him. Averaged 9.74 yards per pass attempt in 2006. Manages the game well.

Knock: Great statistics could be because of the offensive system and not really his ability. Lacks arm strength and mobility.

Chad Henne

College: Michigan

Size: 6-2 1/2 , 228

2007 passing stats: 1,938 yards, 17 TDs, 9 INTs, 58.3 completion pct.

Kudos: Excellent arm, tough and poised. Started four years at Michigan against the NCAA's best.

Knock: Can be inconsistent and doesn't have a quick release. Curiously, his statistics diminished each year in college. Missed three games with injuries last season and went 6-4 in the rest.

John David Booty

College: Southern California

Size: 6-2 1/2 , 215

2007 passing stats: 2,361 yards, 23 TDs, 10 INTs, 63.2 completion pct.

Kudos: Very accurate passer who manages the game well. Was able to capitalize on the big weapons he had in 2006, throwing for 29 touchdowns.

Knock: Doesn't have a big arm. Some wonder if he didn't benefit from the abundance of talent around him.

Erik Ainge

College: Tennessee

Size: 6-5 1/2 , 223

2007 passing stats: 3,522 yards, 31 TDs, 10 INTs, 62.9 completion pct.

Kudos: Broke Peyton Manning's school record with 325 completions last year. Also had a seven-touchdown game at Kentucky in November. Completed a school-record 67 percent of his passes in 2006.

Knock: Not mobile and lacks arm strength.

ken.murray@baltsun.com

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