OWINGS MILLS — Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is underwhelmed at the depth for pass rushers in this year’s NFL draft.
Nonetheless, he is confident the team can add a playmaker to make an immediate impact.
“I think it’s an average Draft, I would say, for edge pass rushers,” DeCosta said. “There are certainly some guys at the top. For us, we’ve had success throughout the years in finding some guys in the middle rounds who have been good players for us. It really depends on what you’re looking for. You have your speed rushers. You have power guys, guys that can do both, guys that have to play in a three-point stance [and] guys that can play in a two-point stance.
“A lot of it has to do with your fit and what you’re looking for. Our coaches play a big part in that in their evaluation.”
Because of the lack of depth, DeCosta could be tempted to select a pass rusher in the first round. Some of the most intriguing players are Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson, both from Penn State, Missouri’s Darius Robinson, and UCLA’s Laiatu Latu.
The team’s current group of edge rushers includes Odafe Oweh (three sacks), Tavius Robinson (one sack), David Ojabo (one sack), Malik Hamm (injured reserve), and Kyle Van Noy (nine sacks).
The team will need more production from those players after outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (9.5 sacks) signed a free-agent contract with the Carolina Panthers.
DeCosta credits pass rush coach Chuck Smith for doing a solid job developing effective pass rushers in the system. Smith will be busy preparing the next group of players for extended time on the field during training camp.
“Chuck Smith does a really, really good job of evaluating pass rushers and has done a good job for us coaching those guys as well,” DeCosta said. “We’ll get the [Draft] board squared away. There are certainly some guys at the top that probably won’t be there when we pick. So, the challenge for us is going to be who’s going to be that next-tier group of guys in that sweet spot between the 25th player to the 45th player that we have a chance to get either at [pick No.] 30 or at [pick No.] 62.”
