Will the Ravens Draft a Quarterback in the First Round? NFL Draft Outlook

Will the Ravens draft a quarterback in the first round? Is Lamar Jackson's career as a Raven over? Will the Ravens draft Hendon Hooker or Anthony Richardson?

What are the Baltimore Ravens going to do at quarterback?

The issue is relevant heading into the draft as relations between Lamar Jackson and the team show no signs of improving. Jackson scheduled his tweet revealing his intention to leave Baltimore for just the moment John Harbaugh sat down for a press conference at the owners' meeting, ensuring he got lots of pesky questions about the whole situation. It could be seen as an indication of his feelings towards the organization.

If  Baltimore can't come to terms with Jackson, what will the Ravens do?

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Will the Ravens Draft a Quarterback in the First Round?

While the Ravens still hold the rights to Lamar Jackson, there are a couple of possibilities that could prevent them from having the 2019 MVP behind center in 2023. One is if another team reaches an agreement with Jackson that the Ravens can't or do not want to match. That would be more likely to happen after the draft than before. Another would be if the Ravens choose to trade the rights to Jackson.

Even if no other teams display interest in taking Jackson from the Ravens, it is also possible the 26-year-old refuses to play for them this year. Jackson is, from all reports, committed to getting paid what he thinks he's due. The Ravens also have not been budging. If they don't get a deal worked out, maybe Jackson swallows his pride and plays on the franchise tag in 2023, but he probably won't be there in 2024.

Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta stated that the Ravens might draft a quarterback this year, and that might even come in the first round.

"I would say there's probably more than four guys that can be significant quarterbacks in this league in this draft class," DeCosta said.

While Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker has recently garnered first-round hype and may be available at pick No. 22, DeCosta also mentioned the possibility of picking a QB later.

"The fact is that we think that you can get a quarterback in the first round, or the third round or the fourth round who have a chance to develop. Go back to Tyrod Taylor, when we drafted him in the fifth round or sixth round. Years and years and years ago, Derek Anderson, we took him in the sixth or seventh. So you can get good quarterbacks. You saw what the Niners did last year with Brock Purdy. It's quite possible to get a good quarterback at any point in the draft. Obviously, the G.O.A.T., Tom Brady was a sixth-round pick. They're all over the place in the draft. You have to have good scouts, you have to have conviction and in some cases you've got to get lucky, too," he said.

Would A Rookie QB Be A Good Fit in Baltimore?

Barring some kind of crazy trade or terrible fall for Anthony Richardson, Baltimore is not a good landing spot for a rookie signal caller. The team still lacks a top-tier WR1. Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay are No. 1 and No. 2 on the depth chart. Newly-signed former Patriots receiver Nelson Agholor only slots in at WR3.

If the Ravens did somehow land Richardson, however, he could be exciting and productive. Richardson has a similar skill set to Jackson. He is the most athletic quarterback ever measured at the NFL Scouting Combine. He is a dynamic rushing threat, but he really needs to improve his passing accuracy.

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