The NFLDraftguys staff is going simulate playing the GM of each of the 31 teams picking in the first round and justify their picks. You can look forward to a new pick every day leading up to April 28, when the staff will be in Radio City Music Hall to see if they took our advice.
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Follow the progress of the On The Clock Draft Board, where you can see exactly how the first round would play out if the NFLDraftguys staff were making the calls in the war room.
Sean Baca
With the twenty ninth pick in the 2007 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens Should take Arron Sears , OL, Tennessee
The Ravens simply could not open running lanes last year and even though they were great at protecting McNair the run game was very poor. They also need an outside linebacker but the best could very well be gone before they pick.
With Sears you get a run blocking guard who is in need of work in his pass blocking where speed beats him far to often but it's in the run game that the Ravens are most in need of help. A player like Sears would help tremendously as would any of the top lineman left. The class is not terribly deep but there will be some bulldozers left and Sears would fit the bill perfectly..
Meachem might very well be the most fluid receiver in this draft. He flattens crossing routes and square in perfectly, being fast to the break, then quick and clean out of it. His speed and strength make him a great vertical threat which will only help enhance the passing game of the Pats both deep and underneath helping Stallworth (if healthy) stretch the field
Marc Faletti
With the 29th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens SHOULD select Jason Hill, WR, Washington State.
Sure, they need someone to replace Ogden soon, but I don't like the any of the OTs after Thomas as 1st rounders. Brown, Ugoh, Staley, and Harris are all talented players, but each of them has a major question mark about either his aggressiveness (Staley) or his competitiveness (the rest). Guys like that are worth taking eventually, but when I think of first-round linemen with outstanding measurables who don't want to tear off the hearts out of defenders on every single play, I think of guys like Leonard Davis and Mike Williams. And that makes me think pass.
Instead, the Ravens should do what they usually do in the draft and nab a skill player. Jason Hill is probably the most polished receiver after CJ. He's quick and runs really crisp patterns, meaning he's probably going to get himself open in the NFL. His hands are also top notch, even when he's off balance. Despite his sub 4.4 40 time, teams don't see him as a burner, which is why he's usually considered a 2nd rounder, but to me he looks like the perfect compliment to Mark Clayton and eventual successor to Derrick Mason. This kid will shake his defender and/or find the hole in the Cover 2 and move the chains.
Cecil Lammey
With the 29th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens SHOULD take Ryan Kalil, C, USC Trojans.
The Ravens offensive line play last season was very offensive. They need to do a better job in both pass protection and run blocking. Unfortunately for the Ravens the depth at O-Line isn't there, so they need to address that first and foremost in the draft.
Ryan Kalil is one of the fastest risers in this draft class. His blocking technique is superb in the run game, and he is no slouch protecting the QB either. He shows an aggressive nature that will help him dominate at the next level. He is very athletic for a C, and should be able to come in and start right away for the Ravens.
Sigmund Bloom
With the 29th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens SHOULD take Ryan Kalil, C, USC.
It's time for the Ravens to reload on the offensive line, and there is no better offensive line investment at this point in the draft than Ryan Kalil.
The Ravens looked like a good candidate to land Joe Staley to groom as Jon Ogden's replacement a few months, but the buzz around Staley has reached a fever pitch. Kalil is one of the 10 or 12 surest things in the draft, and I have him graded higher than Nick Mangold was graded last year. Kalil can play some guard until Mike Flynn is ready to step aside and then he'll be the "quarterback of the line" for the next decade.
