How have the Ravens drafted at cornerback over the past 10 years?
Welcome to part four of our Revisiting Recent Draft History series. If you haven’t, please check out our previous articles.
In preparation for this year’s upcoming cycle, it can be useful to revisit history to understand the team’s drafting tendencies, where they’ve hit, where they’ve missed, and other notable trends. This series will outline each of the Ravens’ draft picks at certain positions dating back 10 years to 2014, broken down into the following categories:
- Early-Round = Player drafted in Round 1-2
- Mid-Round = Player drafted in Round 3-4
- Late-Round = Player drafted in Round 5-7
Next we’ll look at the all-important position of cornerback, where the Ravens have made a total of 11 picks during this span.
Early-Round Picks:
- Marlon Humphrey (R1, 2017)
Mid-Round Picks:
- Jalyn Armour-Davis (2022, R4)
- Damarion Williams (2022, R4)
- Brandon Stephens (2021, R3)
- Iman Marshall (2019, R4)
- Anthony Averett (2018, R4)
- Tavon Young (2016, R4)
- Tray Walker (2015, R4)
Late-Round Picks:
- Kyu Blu Kelly (2023, R5)
- Shaun Wade (2021, R5)
- Maurice Canady (2016, R6)
Biggest hit = Marlon Humphrey
Biggest miss = Iman Marshall
The Ravens have drafted a high volume of cornerbacks since 2014, with seven of their 11 total picks coming in the middle rounds. Seven years later, Marlon Humphrey remains the team’s only first or second-round selection at the position.
Humphrey’s peak level has been an All-Pro and Pro Bowl caliber player. He’s been a stable No. 1 cornerback for the Ravens for several years on end now and ultimately the Ravens got a solid return on their investment to draft him with the No. 16 overall pick in 2017. No other selection here has popped in the same way.
Brandon Stephens emerged in 2023 as a starting-caliber cornerback after shuffling positions in the secondary for his first two seasons. Stephens’ breakout was paramount for the team’s defense as well as his own career trajectory and role. After these two, the picture becomes murky.
Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis, a pair of fourth-round picks from 2022, have yet to emerge through two seasons. Injury struggles have played a part in that but so too has a lack of consistency from both players. Injuries notably derailed the trajectory of former 2016 fourth-round pick Tavon Young, who at one point was an up-and-coming slot corner.
Two fifth-round picks since 2021, Shaun Wade and Kyu Blu Kelly, did not make the 53-man roster immediately after being drafted. They clearly were misses, however Iman “Biggie” Marshall may take the cake for that title. Marshall, drafted in the 2019 fourth round, could never stay healthy and establish himself as a viable contributor. He ultimately remained in the picture for a few years, though, but was a reoccurring disappointment due to his unavailability.
The Ravens could be in-line to select a cornerback early this year for the first time since Humphrey in 2017. They also could again wait until the middle rounds if they instead prioritize positions like wide receiver or an offensive lineman ahead of corner. Either way, it’s clearly an area they should and almost certainly will address.