The Baltimore Ravens will hold the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 draft after their 10-7 finish that resulted in a Wild Card exit to the Cincinnati Bengals. They would have had pick No. 23, but the Miami Dolphins were stripped of their first round pick for tampering violations.
In his latest 2023 NFL mock draft, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has Baltimore taking the best player available approach instead of a need-based approach in the selection of University of Texas running back Bijan Robinson. Wilson talks about how a backfield of quarterback Lamar Jackson, fellow running back J.K. Dobbins and Robinson would be a problem for the rest of the AFC.
“Bijan Robinson is special, and while he is probably one of the best players in this class, he could still be around late in Round 1 because he’s a running back. And while the Ravens and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have parted ways, it’s fair to assume the team will still revolve around Lamar Jackson and the run game. J.K. Dobbins showed flashes after returning from ACL surgery, but there isn’t a lot of depth behind him. A backfield of Jackson, Dobbins and Robinson is a problem for the rest of the AFC, even if Baltimore has more pressing needs here.”
While Robinson is unquestionably a special talent, spending their 22nd overall pick on a cornerback or wide receiver makes much more sense, especially due to the emergence of Dobbins and already having Gus Edwards as well. However, the Ravens trust their board, and if Robinson is high up on it they could make an unorthodox pick.