With the No. 6 overall pick, the Ravens selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley. The Ravens went with the safe pick at offensive tackle, choosing Stanley over Ole Miss' Laremy Tunsil.
My take: Twenty years after drafting Jonathan Ogden, the Ravens are confident they landed a franchise left tackle who can finally fill his massive shoes. Stanley is experienced (36 starts), technically sound and agile. He's exceptional in pass protection, not allowing more than two pressures in any game this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Stanley is also a strong run-blocker as Notre Dame gained at least 5 yards on 45 percent of its rushes, which was fifth-best in the FBS. This was a timely pick for Baltimore. Quarterback Joe Flacco is coming off a season-ending knee injury and Eugene Monroe has become unreliable as a starter after missing 16 games the past two seasons. He was the sixth-ranked player on the boards for Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. The most frequent comparison is to D'Brickashaw Ferguson, a three-time Pro Bowler who retired this year.
Stanley-Tunsil debate: Ravens officials insist Stanley was rated higher on their board than Tunsil, although general manager Ozzie Newsome acknowledged the video posted on Tunsil's Twitter account played a part in the decision. But the question remains is how much did that incident change the Ravens' board? There was increasing buzz the past week that Stanley was the top-ranked offensive tackle on some teams' draft boards because he was a "cleaner" pick in terms of off-the-field issues and durability. Tunsil was widely regarded the best offensive tackle in terms of talent and technique. He was eventually taken at No. 13 by the Miami Dolphins. But Stanley was regarded as the one with stronger character. Stanley also tested phenomenally on the psychological evaluations, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
End of line for Monroe? Owner Steve Bisciotti named Monroe the starting left tackle in March, but that was before the Ravens used their highest draft pick in 16 years on a left tackle. The addition of Stanley could mean the exit for Monroe, who is making $6.5 million in base salary, which is $1 million more than anyone else on the team this year. The Ravens can create $2.1 million by cutting Monroe before June 1 and $6.5 million after June 1. Monroe played well when he was on the field, but he struggled to remain healthy for the first time in his career. Ravens officials declined to comment on Monroe's future, saying he is still under the care of the medical staff.
What's next: The Ravens have the fifth pick in the second round (No. 36 overall) and seventh pick in the third round (No. 70) on Friday. Baltimore probably will target a cornerback or pass-rusher with its first pick Friday. Newsome said it was unlikely the Ravens would trade back into the first round. Last year, the Ravens traded up for tight end Maxx Williams in the second round and selected defensive lineman Carl Davis in the third round.