A squandered opportunity?

Ravens worse off for avoiding risk of taking a 1st-round pass rusher

The Ravens better hope defensive end Jermaine Johnson II can’t play.

They had three chances to select the Florida State star and Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday night but declined, instead picking Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with the No. 14 overall pick and Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum at No. 25 in a wild first round that was full of surprises in Las Vegas.

Both Hamilton and Linderbaum are highly rated, but Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta came into the draft saying the team’s top three needs were at pass rusher, offensive tackle and cornerback.

The Ravens left without filling any of those positions and needing a No. 2 wide receiver after they traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick in the first round, which they later traded to the Buffalo Bills for the 25th pick and a fourth-rounder.

It sounds confusing, and Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson apparently wasn’t happy about seeing his best friend on the team sent off to Arizona. If the Ravens couldn’t get a new multi-year extension done with Jackson during the

defensive assistant this offseason.

After not playing as a freshman and getting only reserve duty in 2020, Ojabo teamed last year with eventual No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson to form one of the country’s best pass-rushing tandems. He finished with 11 sacks and five forced fumbles, along with seven quarterback hits and 26 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. While Ojabo has elite pass-rushing potential, especially as a speed rusher, he has room for growth as a run defender.

“He really came on this year with tremendous pass-rushing ability: speed, quickness, all the things you want to see,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Friday night. “We knew the type of kid he was, and for us, at this point, to get him in the second round was actually great. We were very excited to take him.”