Steve Bisciotti likes the idea of the Ravens picking up a pass rusher with his first-round pick.
While other areas on the roster may have more glaring needs, the Ravens owner explained to PSL owners on a conference call earlier this month that having multiple players who can get after quarterbacks is critical in today's game. The departure of Pernell McPhee in free agency also left the Ravens with the need to add another pass rusher to go along with veterans Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil.
Kentucky's Alvin "Bud" Dupree may be just the kind of player Bisciotti desires.
Here's his profile, along with scouting reports from NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein, CBS Sports’ Rob Rang and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley:
Bud DupreeSenior, 6-foot-4, 264 pounds
2014 Stats:45 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles, 1 touchdown
Draft Projection:Top-10, to early second-round
Pros
- Would be excellent value if he falls to the Ravens at No. 26; some draft analysts have him projected as a top-15 pick, so he could be a potential steal at the end of the first round
- Great natural athlete who posted a 42-inch vertical and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds
- Ravens Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta compared him to former Raven Adalius Thomas
- Good transition from rushing the quarterback to playing the run; has Excellent closing speed in the backfield
- Scouts give him high grades for his character, as he's active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and community outreach
- Highly productive in college, as his 23.5 career sacks were the most of any active SEC player
- Had more defensive duties compared to some of the other top pass rushers in the draft; important player against the run, rather than just a pass rusher
Cons
- Wins with athleticism of technique because his fundamentals aren't quite refined yet; athleticism won't necessarily carry him in the NFL like it did in college
- Still raw at rushing the passer, without a go-to pass-rush move
- Reportedly scored a 13 on the Wonderlic test, raising some concerns about the mental side of his game
- Rarely gets his hands up to block the quarterback's vision
- Struggles to break free from blockers once engaged
- Some scouts believe that he hesitates at times, which can lead to him being slow into the backfield
