Round 2: Ravens Trade Back, Select OLB Kamalei Correa

The Ravens got their pass rusher. Owner Steve Bisciotti made it clear at the start of the offseason that he wanted to see the team add pass rushers, and the Ravens did that by selecting Boise State outside linebacker Kamalei Correa with their second-round pick. Correa, 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, gives the Ravens an additional pass rusher to team up with veterans Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Correa had seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss last season. He put up 20 sacks over the course of his three-year college career. “They picked a guy who’s a hard worker, isn’t going to stop, is dedicated and who is going to help them win a Super Bowl,” Correa said on a conference call when asked by local reporters what type of player the Ravens selected. The Ravens took their time in selecting Correa, as they made a pair of trades to move back in the second round. Baltimore first traded back with Jacksonville, allowing the Jaguars to get UCLA linebacker Myles Jack. The Ravens then moved back again in a deal with the Dolphins. By the time the deals were done, the Ravens moved back six spots to No. 42 overall and added picks in the fourth round (No. 107) and fifth round (146). The Ravens now have five picks in the fourth round. Sliding back and taking Correa was a bit of a surprise to the Boise State product, who didn’t have much contact with the Ravens during the pre-draft process.“I honestly had no clue where I was going,” Correa said. “I met with them at the combine and I had a great feel for the coaching staff. And that was the last I heard from them.” Correa fits what the Ravens were looking for on defense, especially after using their first-round pick on an offensive lineman. Baltimore wanted to add pass rushers because both Suggs and Dumervil are on the back-nine of their careers, and Suggs is coming off his second torn Achilles in the last four years. The 22-year-old defender could help provide an immediate boost alongside them. “I’ve been watching these guys since I’ve been in middle school and I just can’t tell you how excited I am to work with them,” Correa said. “It’s just an overwhelming experience and I’m at a loss for words right now.” In making the transition to the NFL, Correa will also have to go through a bit of a position change. He played defensive end in a 4-3 scheme at Boise State, but he will play outside linebacker in Baltimore’s system. “I don’t see it too much as a challenge and that’s just because [of] my work ethic,” Correa said. “I’m going to keep working at something, and if I don’t get it I’m going to keep trying, and I know one day that I’ll be a great one. I’m just going to keep working until I am.” The native of Honolulu actually went to high school with last year’s No. 2 overall draft pick Marcus Mariota. He admitted that he grew up a fan of the Green Bay Packers, but said that changed on April 29, 2016. Correa will now make the long trip across the country to come to Baltimore, and the Ravens hope he can provide an immediate upgrade to their defense. “They’re a great organization,” Correa said. “I could just go on for days. There is nothing bad to say about them, and I can’t explain in words how excited I am to be playing for them.”