Baltimore Ravens: How 2018 NFL Draft could save John Harbaugh’s job

Depth at CB and S are must, kill two birds with one stone

The Ravens drafted cornerback Marlon Humphrey out of Alabama last season. As a rookie, he played all 16 games and notched 34 tackles and two interceptions. Though Humphrey got into a little bit trouble off the field, he should be ready to step up next season in place of the suspended Jimmy Smith.

On the opposite side is Brandon Carr who seems to be aging gracefully. Still, the Ravens need a guy who can come in and play the nickel effectively. No disrespect to Tony Jefferson but the defense could use a guy who is a less of a tackler and more of a cover guy. The Steelers, Bengals and the even the Browns are loaded at wide receiver in the AFC North.

University of Florida defensive back Duke Dawson is the ideal defensive back for the Ravens defense. At first glance, the 5-10, 208-pound corner doesn’t look anything like the long big cornerbacks Newsome likes. Some may think he’ll be a matchup problem. However, that’s not the case at all.

Dawson is a very physical corner who will press and grab receivers making it difficult for quarterbacks to complete passes. In fact, he had allowed only a 40 percent completion rate when targeted. Dawson can also play the zone effectively and his ability to close and play aggressively in run support makes him an intriguing safety prospect. The front office can utilize the former Gator as a nickelback and even at safety, similar to a LaMarcus Joyner or Tyrann Mathieu type.