Mink: The Ravens had five sixth-round picks and one in the seventh round, so we'll consider those among the late-round picks. Of those players, the obvious answer for biggest rookie impact is kicker Tyler Loop. With the release of Justin Tucker this week, Loop is in line for the critical job that often decides wins and losses. He'll have to win the spot, as the team is reportedly expected to sign undrafted kicker John Hoyland and set up a rookie battle. Baltimore could also add a veteran challenger at some point.
Beyond Loop, wide receiver LaJohntay Wester has the clearest path to a Day 1 role as the team's primary punt returner. Wester has natural return skills and is no stranger to performing under the spotlight. He could also carve out a backup wide receiver role.
Defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles could carve out a pass rushing role if he impresses this summer, especially considering the Ravens don't have a ton of defensive line depth at the moment. With so much depth at cornerback, Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam would need to shine on special teams to dress on gamedays. Garrett Dellinger will compete to make the roster as a backup guard, and if he can play center that would help.
Brown: I agree that all 11 draft picks are unlikely to make the 53-man roster. The Ravens are too talented for that to happen unless the injury bug hits them harder during training camp and preseason than it has the past couple years.
However, I could easily see at least nine rookies making the roster. Start with the top five picks, along with Loop and Wester. That gets you to seven picks, and Peebles could be in the defensive tackle rotation.
Certainly, the competition will be stiff for Dellinger because the Ravens drafted three offensive linemen and signed veteran tackle Joseph Noteboom. The same is true for Kone and Longerbeam. The Ravens have a deep and talented depth chart at corner, and it became deeper when they signed Chidobe Awuzie this offseason.
However, I'm not ruling out any of the 11 draft picks making the roster at this point. The Ravens have a history of giving all rookies and undrafted free agents a legitimate chance to impress the coaching staff. The final roster cuts will be difficult, but even if everyone in this rookie class doesn't stick with the Ravens, they could all eventually make an NFL roster.
Mink: We're going to get this question a lot this offseason, which is understandable because the Ravens have such a rich history of undrafted rookies making the team. However, as Cliff outlined above, I think it's going to be tough for all 11 draft picks to make the team, let alone an undrafted free agent.
We've only watched the rookies practice for one day, so there aren't too many takeaways. But based on need alone, it would seem the Ravens could keep a big-bodied, run-stuffing defensive lineman because they didn't come away with one in the draft. That would give Auburn defensive tackle Jayson Jones and Nebraska nose tackle Nash Hutmacher, who was at rookie camp on a tryout basis, as the two seemingly leading candidates.
Beyond that, linebacker Jay Higgins has an All-American resume and the Ravens have a long track record of keeping undrafted inside linebackers (including Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr). As stated above, if Hoyland is signed, he'll have a chance to outshine Loop.
Brown: Head Coach John Harbaugh called Noteboom "a really big signing for us."
Even if third-round rookie Emery Jones Jr. wasn't dealing with a labrum injury that may sideline him until training camp, the Ravens coveted more experience at swing tackle. Noteboom provides that after veteran tackle Josh Jones signed with the Seattle Seahawks during free agency. If either Ronnie Stanley or Roger Rosengarten miss time, Noteboom is a proven insurance policy as a player with 35 career starts under his belt.
I don't think the performance of the offensive linemen at rookie camp was a factor in the Noteboom signing. Rookie minicamp is a small sample size with players not wearing pads and getting up to speed on how the Ravens practice.
Harbaugh said it was a "really good" practice after Saturday's rookie session. The young offensive linemen will be judged much more definitively once the pads come on during training camp.
