With the 25th Pick in the 2010 Fanball Sports Network Mock Draft Remix, the Baltimore Ravens Select…

With the 25th pick in the 2010 Fanball Sports Network Mock Draft Remix, the Baltimore Ravens select Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty.  For me, this choice came down to drafting McCourty or going defensive line and taking Penn State DT Jared Odrick or Florida DE/LB Carlos Dunlap.

The Ravens were “on the clock” in our first iteration of the Fanball Sports Network Mock Draft before they acquired wide receiver Anquan Boldin from Arizona for a pair of draft picks and before Derrick Mason re-signed.  In fact, it was even before the receivers had gone through their workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.  In any event, it made sense to select a receiver so I selected Arrelious Benn from Illinois as the second receiver off the board.  Like the first time, the only receiver selected at this point has been Dez Bryant, who was the pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars at tenth overall.

That said, the receiving corps is not the glaring weakness it was when I made my first pick.  In fact, you could easily argue that it’s more of a strength than a weakness.

One of the ways in which the Ravens could enhance their passing attack in the “real” NFL draft is by selecting tight end Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma as Todd Heap isn’t getting any younger.  That is, provided Gresham is available.  In our mock draft, Gresham is bound for the Queen City as BengalsJaw.com made him their pick (21st overall).

The Ravens will address needs in the secondary and defensive line in this year’s draft.  With losses of Justin Bannan and Dwan Landry (and the signing of Cory Redding) this off-season, General Manager Ozzie Newsome could take Odrick or Dunlap, if available, or another defensive line prospect.  However, the team’s biggest weakness is their secondary and two of their top three cornerbacks are coming back from ACL injuries.

Lardarius Webb, the team’s third-round pick last year, was a steal for the Ravens last year, but he’s more likely than cornerback Fabian Washington to not be ready for the start of the season since his injury occurred later in the season.

McCourty, who runs a 4.38 forty, has been a stock-up guy since the Senior Bowl.  NFL.com describes McCourty as a cornerback who “possesses great athletic ability combined with impressive instincts… Has the work ethic necessary to maximize his skill-set at the next level.”  Meanwhile MockingTheDraft.com writes that McCourty “is very smooth in his backpedal with fluid hips. Shows he has the kind of quick-twitch agility a cornerback needs. Turns and runs with ease…”

Although McCourty isn’t big (5-foot-11, 193 pounds), he plays more physical than his size and is an excellent tackler.   That said, a drawback is he can sometimes be overpowered by larger, physical receivers.  In addition, McCourty also can help out on special teams as he had a 25.1-yard kickoff return average last year and blocked seven kicks over the course of his career at Rutgers.

Tags: Anquan Boldin, Arrelious Benn, Carlos Dunlap, Derrick Mason, Devin McCourty, Dez Bryant, Jared Odrick, Jermaine Gresham, NFL Draft