2017 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Projections Heading into Bowl Season

Baltimore has often spent much of its time in the first round of the draft selecting defensive players. The 2017 NFL Draft, however, could mark a change in approach as they look for new weapons to work with quarterback Joe Flacco. Nowhere is there a more obvious need than at wide receiver, where the Ravens have depended on aging receivers for several years and could benefit from picking an elite collegiate player to fortify the position.

They have several options, but given their low draft position in the first round the Ravens will likely look for someone who can bring a combination of size and speed to the position. That probably means that they’ll go with USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster rather than Oklahoma’s Dede Westbrook in the battle of receivers with repeating-syllable first names. Smith-Schuster is a 6’2”, 220-pound speedster with great hands and the size to challenge defensive backs. He was inconsistent in the Pac-12, but Baltimore will take a chance on his high-upside potential with its first pick.