Round 3: Ravens Draft DE Bronson Kaufusi At No. 70

The Ravens weren’t done getting pass rushers after drafting Kamalei Correa in the second round. Baltimore followed up with another menace for opposing quarterbacks with big-bodied defensive end Bronson Kaufusi in the third round, pick No. 70 overall. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound BYU prospect was highly productive during his four years. He notched 26.5 career sacks, and had 11 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in his senior season. The Ravens grouped Correa and Kaufusi together as players who have high character and non-stop motors. Kaufusi is another red-star player, possessing all the traits of a true Raven. “They’re getting a player that is relentless every single play, a player that wants to make plays not only for myself but for my teammates,” Kaufusi said. “I’m a dedicated player who wants to be the best and is willing to put in the time and sacrifice so that I can be at my best when my best is needed.” With his massive size, Kaufusi could slide into the defensive end spot vacated by veteran Chris Canty. But a major part of his allure is that he’s able to play multiple spots.Kaufusi shifted to outside linebacker during his junior season before putting his hand back in the dirt as a senior. That versatility should help Kaufusi make an early impact. “We don’t know how big he’s going to get at this point,” General Manager Ozzie Newsome said. “He can play two or three different spots.” Kaufusi comes from an athletic bloodline. His father, Steve, was a defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles (1989-1990) and has been the defensive line coach at BYU since 2002. Kaufusi’s older sister played basketball at BYU and his younger sister plays soccer there. His wife also played college soccer for the Cougars. Asked who the best athlete is in the house, Kaufusi laughed and said everyone in his family would point to themselves and he’s no different. “I’m always willing to play anyone in any game in the family, whenever they want,” he said. “We’ll probably have to have some kind of playoff to see who is the best athlete.” Kaufusi played just about every sport growing up and even suited up for BYU’s basketball team as a freshman before deciding to concentrate exclusively on football. He was originally recruited as a tight end before moving to the defensive line. He’s an older prospect at 24 because he spent two years after high school in Auckland, New Zealand, on his Mormon mission. He’s friends with Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta, another BYU graduate. Baltimore loved the maturity and work ethic Kaufusi will bring to the team. “K.C. and Bronson both, we got two guys with big-time motors that play the game the way we like it to be played on the defensive side of the ball,” Newsome said. “These two guys are going to run to the ball 100 miles per hour every single play,” Head Coach John Harbaugh added. “That’s really important on this defense.”