With the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Fanball Mock Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select…

As the NFL Scouting Combine gets under way and with the 2010 NFL Draft less than two months away, the NFL correspondents from the Fanball Sports Network are in the midst of conducting our first-ever mock draft.  Representing the Baltimore Ravens, I am now on the clock after the first 24 selections are in the books.  [Note: you can view all picks for the mock draft here in the Roto Junkie forums.]

With the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Ravens select Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn.

If the real draft plays out as our mock draft has, Benn would be the second receiver drafted after Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant, who was taken by the Miami Dolphins (via Fanball blogger Josh Baumgard).  In addition, the availability of Benn resulted in part due to a trade that took place last year when the Carolina Panthers traded their first-round pick to San Francisco, who then drafted Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford with the 16th pick in our 2010 mock draft.  Had Carolina not traded away their pick, my counterpart that covers the Panthers would have selected Benn.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has a strong belief in drafting the best player available instead of reaching based on a need, but the addition of a playmaking receiver is the team’s biggest need with secondary help being (no pun intended) second.

“I don’t think Ozzie has an aversion to taking a wide receiver in the first round, I think Ozzie trusts his board,” said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. “I think the Ravens are as good as any team in the league at staying true to their board and not panicking.”

As it stands, the Ravens top four wide receivers (based on 2009 receiving yards) are all restricted or unrestricted free agents this off-season.  While they added Donte’ Stallworth, who missed the entire 2009 season due to suspension, and could pursue a trade for a someone like Arizona’s Anquan Boldin or Denver’s Brandon Marshall, drafting a receiver like Benn here makes sense.

The main concern I have about taking Benn at this spot was his decline in production from his sophomore to junior season at Illinois.  In 2009, Benn caught only 38 passes for 490 yards as a junior.  While many attribute a good portion of the decline in Benn’s production to that of quarterback Juice Williams, it’s never a positive sign to see a player, especially a first-round prospect, drop his production by half from the previous season.

However, Benn is a big and physical receiver (6-2, 220 pounds).  He doesn’t have top-end speed, but he has good speed and quickness as well as the size and strength to separate from corners.  He’s also not afraid to go across the middle and a lot of folks have compared Benn to Anquan Boldin.  In addition, Benn can contribute on special teams and is a good blocker at the receiver position.  One of the knocks on Benn is the consistency of his route-running.  Provided Derrick Mason returns in 2010, he would be a perfect mentor to help Benn correct his route-running inconsistencies.

Looking back at the Ravens’ draft history, they have selected a wide receiver in the first round two times: Travis Taylor (10th overall in 2000) and Mark Clayton (22nd overall in 2005).  In neither case has the production justified the lofty pick.  Will the third time be the charm?

Note: Wide receivers will perform this Sunday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Tags: Anquan Boldin, Arrelious Benn, Derrick Mason, NFL Draft, Ozzie Newsome