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Ravens Defensive Rookie Report After the Bye

Ravens Rookie Report

The Baltimore Ravens had yet another excellent draft haul in the 2022 NFL Draft. Eric DeCosta’s rookie class was heralded as one of the most valuable across the league, with many predicting that the Ravens rookies could ‘go wild’. The defensive additions were particularly intriguing as the Ravens selected some high-impact performers in a bid to get younger on defense. Some picks have been roaring successes so far.

At 6-3 and now past their bye week, it seems an apt opportunity to take a look at the rookies. Here is the Ravens defensive rookie report at the bye, which also includes the one special teams selection:

Part 1: Ravens Offensive Rookie Report

Ravens Defensive Rookie Report After the Bye: Grades and Analysis

Note – grades represent how well the rookies have played so far, not how good the pick was.

Round 1, #14: Safety, Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)

Kyle Hamilton was a top-five prospect according to many experts. For him to fall to 14 made this pick a no-brainer for Baltimore. At this spot, Hamilton was excellent value and, thus far, he has proved as much.

The rookie safety has had a steep learning curve in the NFL. The first few weeks were tough for him. He notched a particularly poor performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. However, he bounced back with a fantastic performance in Week 3 against the New England Patriots. Since then, Hamilton’s improvement has been palpable.

In 2022, Hamilton has notched 25 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. The surface numbers have not been outstanding, but he passes the eye test. Since Marcus Williams’ injury, Hamilton has been a crucial playmaker for the Ravens and has formed a good partnership with Geno Stone. When Williams returns, there will be less pressure on Hamilton, and we could see more of Hamilton’s versatility with more stability at the safety position.

Grade: A

Round 2, #45: Edge rusher, David Ojabo (Michigan)

David Ojabo was another player who was regarded as a top-five prospect. He fell to the second round after a scary Achilles injury at his pro day. Nevertheless, Ojabo’s raw talent at Michigan earned him a selection at the top of the second round.

It is impossible to judge this pick so far. Ojabo recently returned to practice and is due to make his Ravens debut towards the end of the season. It is unclear how much the injury has impacted his play too. The Ravens have surprised a lot of people with their edge play, Justin Houston and newly acquired Jason Pierre-Paul have both been surprisingly good. And Odafe Oweh has shown improvement too. Given the situation, Ojabo will not be hurried back.

For pure upside, this was a great pick. Ojabo will be a great pass rusher for the future, even if he does not live up to the astronomical expectations he had pre-injury.

Grade: N/A (yet to play)

Round 3, #76: Defensive tackle, Travis Jones (UConn)

Travis Jones was another steal by the Ravens. He was expected to go in the second round but ultimately fell to the Ravens in the third, possibly due to the lack of positional value at defensive tackle.

Michael Pierce was Baltimore’s major free agent signing in the off-season, but his season was ended early via injury. Up stepped Jones, who, along with Broderick Washington Jr., has filled Pierce’s role to a tee. This season, Jones has recorded one sack, one pass defense, one tackle-for-loss and two quarterback hits over seven games. While the numbers do not jump off the page, that is to be expected at his position.

Jones will continue to be a rotational starter on a strong Ravens defensive line for the rest of the season. He seems a great fit with his physicality and nose for the ball. He has also shown that he has room to develop over the next few seasons.

Grade: B+

Round 4, #119: Cornerback, Jalyn Armour-Davis (Alabama)

Jalyn Armour-Davis was always a project pick for the future. Among Baltimore’s cornerbacks at training camp, he was the least likely to earn playing time this season.

Armour-Davis’ rookie rawness was on full show against the Dolphins when he was beaten deep on multiple occasions. He recorded a PFF grade of less than 30 that game and has yet to see significant playing time since.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide’s athletic traits mean that he still has value to the team. He can still be developed into a rotational player with the potential to be a starter one day. For now, his rookie year will likely remain as a learning experience from the sideline unless there are major injuries to the starters ahead of him.

Grade: C+

Round 4, #130: Punter, Jordan Stout (Penn State)

Ravens legend Sam Koch’s future with the Ravens was put into doubt after the team opted to select Jordan Stout in the fourth-round of the draft. It ultimately resulted in Koch’s retirement and Stout’s elevation to be the team’s first-choice punter.

Stout was the first punter off the board, a decision that many thought was questionable given Matt Araiza was given all the hype. But it was the right choice. Stout was PFF’s top-grade punter (93.1) and also led the nation in hangtime (4.36 seconds).

So far, Stout has been solid. He impressed the coaches in the off-season and demonstrated his big leg in the preseason too. His regular season has seen some inconsistency but, overall, he has looked the part of a starting NFL punter. He has also been the holder for Justin Tucker this season and the two have developed a very good relationship. The holding-kicking mechanics have been consistently smooth.

An understated aspect of Stout’s game is his athleticism. At Penn State, the special teams unit ran a decent amount of fake punts. This has yet to be put on show in Baltimore but could be something they introduce in tight games during the playoffs.

Grade: B

Round 4, #141: Cornerback, Damarion Williams (Houston)

Damarion ‘Pepe’ Williams was the second of two cornerbacks selected by the Ravens in this draft. Entering training camps, coaches were impressed with Williams’ fire and competitiveness. He was deemed more NFL-ready than Armour-Davis and that has showed so far this season.

Williams has been in contention as the starting CB3, competing with veteran Kevon Seymour for the job. The rookie has been solid but, as expected, makes rookie mistakes. The slot corner position is undoubtedly the weakest aspect of Baltimore’s defense after Kyle Fuller’s season-ending injury. DeCosta ought to look into free agency to supplement this position ahead of Baltimore’s playoff push.

So far, Williams has been serviceable. As a prospect, it was assumed that he would have a relatively high floor. With inside and outside versatility, Williams has a well-defined rotational depth role in the side. For a fourth-round pick, that is perfect.

Grade: B

UDFA: Linebacker, Josh Ross (Michigan)

Only one undrafted free agent made Baltimore’s final 53-man roster: Josh Ross. Ross impressed the coaching staff during his try-out, throughout the off-season and also in the preseason fixtures. It meant that the team named him as a starter on special teams, with the view to use him as a rotational linebacker if needed.

Unfortunately for Ross, he suffered an injury against the Dolphins in Week 2, which has ruled him out since. He is expected to return soon though. Injuries to Ross and Josh Bynes at the inside linebacker spot resulted in the Ravens trading for Roquan Smith from the Chicago Bears.

When Ross returns, expect him to take his place back with the special teams unit.

Grade: B-

Part 1: Ravens Offensive Rookie Report

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