As the 2024 NFL Draft nears, our seven-round team mock draft series continues with the Baltimore Ravens.
ROUND 1, PICK 30: T JORDAN MORGAN, ARIZONA
Morgan is a smooth-moving prospect whose best position in the NFL might be guard. His track and field background gives him natural balance and core strength for good change-of-direction ability. His arm length isn’t elite for offensive tackle play, but it should be adequate. While his footwork is fast, the strides in his kick slide are short. His hand placement, patience and football IQ are all pluses. Though listed at 325 pounds, he lacks density and strength. Bull rushes can overwhelm him if they come at an angle, and though he has the foot speed to stay in front of pass rushers, he doesn’t have the natural strength to redirect their momentum.
ROUND 2, PICK 62: EDGE JONAH ELLISS, UTAH
Elliss comes from an NFL family, and it shows. He’s smart and disciplined with his fundamentals, which helps him overcome some strength and length deficiencies. His hands are fast and consistently in the right place inside and at the chest of offensive tackles, which allows him to dictate contact and remain in control, even against stronger players. He has a variety of pass-rush moves, and in 2023, he expanded his repertoire even more with a variety of different swipes and rip combinations. He has an adequate first step for the NFL and can corner better than most in this class.
ROUND 3, PICK 93: G MASON MCCORMICK, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
McCormick will enter the NFL with 57 consecutive starts and three years of team captainship under his belt. He was a true mauler at South Dakota State. He will fight defenders in a phone booth and has a leg drive that goes through the whistle, though not overly so. He is a 98th-percentile athlete for the position in the broad and vertical jumps, and you can see that in how he gets out of his stance. He has a narrow base, likely due to some stiffness in his hips/groin. This causes him to struggle with adjusting once moving. It also forces his pad level to be higher at the snap, as he cannot sink his butt as low in his stance.
ROUND 4, PICK 113: CB JARRIAN JONES, FLORIDA STATE
Jones transferred to Florida State after one year at Mississippi State, and he blossomed into an impact player. He was primarily an outside cornerback through the first four years of his college career, but his below-average long speed/recovery speed was exposed there, especially when asked to play press. In 2023, he played in the slot and had a career year. He has the traits to succeed as a slot defender at the next level, boasting quick feet, hips and acceleration to stick with players in space. He also brings great awareness of spacing and throwing paths, and he is consistently conscious of putting himself between the receiver and the ball.
ROUND 4, PICK 130: WR CORNELIUS JOHNSON, MICHIGAN
Johnson is an experienced receiver prospect, having played 60 games with 44 starts at Michigan. He is a good overall athlete with a decent blend of straight-line speed, acceleration and change of direction. However, his change of direction can be a bit stiff, especially when he gets up to speed. He isn’t an imposing blocker, but he is reliable in his positioning and fundamentals, which will help him make an NFL roster on special teams. His separation rates are very high, but that was more due to usage and setup than rare athletic ability. Johnson seems to have more in the tank talent-wise; we just didn’t see it in his three years as a starter.
ROUND 5, PICK 165: LB TREVIN WALLACE, KENTUCKY
Wallace confirmed his track explosiveness with 80th- and 90th-percentile scores in the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jump at the combine. That athleticism shows up on tape, especially when triggering downhill. He can cut ball carriers off quickly, and that leg power brings hitting power when he arrives. He can be a good option for QB spy assignments. While he is an adequate athlete, he still needs to be more consistent in play recognition after the snap. He can often make up for it with his speed at the college level, but that won’t be as easy in the NFL.
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