A Ravens fan’s guide to 2023 NFL draft: Everything you need to know before picks begin

Here’s everything you need to know before the 2023 NFL draft kicks off Thursday night in Kansas City.

What time is the draft, and how can I watch it?

The first round gets underway Thursday at 8 p.m., with Rounds 2-3 beginning Friday at 7 p.m. and Rounds 4-7 starting Saturday at noon. Coverage of all three days will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC (Chs. 2, 7) and the NFL Network.

What is the draft order?

There will be 259 picks in this year’s draft, starting with the Carolina Panthers, who traded up to secure the No. 1 overall pick from the Chicago Bears. The first round will only have 31 picks this year, as the Miami Dolphins were stripped of their top selection after a tampering investigation by the NFL. The order looks as follows: (Here’s the full order of all 259 picks.)

1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago)
2. Houston Texans
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)
6. Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams)
7. Las Vegas Raiders
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland)
13. Green Bay Packers (from N.Y. Jets)
14. New England Patriots
15. New York Jets (from Green Bay)
16. Washington Commanders
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Detroit Lions
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Seattle Seahawks
21. Los Angeles Chargers
22. Ravens
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. New York Giants
26. Dallas Cowboys
27. Buffalo Bills
28. Cincinnati Bengals
29. New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco through Miami and Denver)
30. Philadelphia Eagles
31. Kansas City Chiefs

How many picks do the Ravens have?

Barring any trades, the Ravens have just five selections this year, their fewest since 1999. Baltimore traded its second-round pick (No. 53 overall) to the Bears for inside linebacker Roquan Smith this past season, and the team did not receive any compensatory picks after signing safety Marcus Williams and right tackle Morgan Moses last offseason.

• Round 1, No. 22 overall
• Round 3, No. 86
• Round 4, No. 124
• Round 5, No. 157
• Round 6, No. 199

What positions do the Ravens need to address?

Missed any free agency news, like wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s arrival in Baltimore? Here’s a rundown of who the Ravens have agreed to sign, who they’ve lost and who’s still on the open market.

Here’s a breakdown of the Ravens’ five biggest needs entering the draft, starting with cornerback and wide receiver.

And here’s an in-depth look at which players could be available for the Ravens at key positions in the early, middle and late rounds:

• Quarterback: If QB is in play, there are plenty of intriguing options
• Wide receiver: WR is a must, but who are the best options?
• Cornerback: In deep CB class, there’s talent across the board
• Defensive line: With veteran leader gone, DL needs reinforcements
• Edge rusher: Adding juice at edge might be worth the squeeze
• Offensive line: With OL help needed, it’s time to think big
• Secondary: Whether it’s safety or slot corner, there are opportunities

Will the Ravens make a trade?

Given their history, it’s always a consideration. They’ll likely field offers when it’s their turn to pick, but will general manager Eric DeCosta ultimately choose quantity over a specific player at No. 22 overall? Here’s a look at that possibility.

What’s the latest with Lamar Jackson?

Not much. The Ravens on March 7 applied the $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag to the star quarterback, who later said he requested a trade March 2 because the team was not willing to meet his value. Under the terms of the tag, Jackson can negotiate and sign a contract with another team, but the Ravens have five days to match that offer or decline and receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. So far, no team has emerged as a serious threat to sign the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player away from Baltimore.

Are there any local prospects who could get drafted?

There are several from just down the road in College Park. The Terps have not had more than five players selected in a year since the draft went to seven rounds in 1997 but have a good chance to surpass that total this weekend. Here are those players (listed with hometown/high school in parentheses):

• CB Deonte Banks (Baltimore/Edgewood)
• CB Jakorian Bennett (Mobile, Ala./McGill-Toolen)
• LT Jaelyn Duncan (New Carrollton/St. Frances)
• WR Rakim Jarrett (Palmer Park/St. John’s)
• WR Jacob Copeland (Pensacola, Fla./Escambia)
• WR Dontay Demus Jr. (Washington, D.C./Friendship)
• K Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest)
• OL Spencer Anderson (Bowie/Bishop McNamara)
• OL Johari Branch (Chicago/Phillips Academy)
• DL Henry Chibueze (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge)
• DL Greg China-Rose (Los Angeles/DeMatha)
• DL Ami Finau (Kahuku, Hawaii/Euless Trinity)
• LB VanDarius Cowan (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens)
• LB Durell Nchami (Silver Spring/Paint Branch)

Here are some other prospects with ties to the state and/or the Baltimore-Washington area (listed with hometown/high school in parentheses):

• Southern California WR Jordan Addison (Frederick/Tuscarora)
• Clemson DT Bryan Bresee (Damascus/Damascus)
• South Carolina CB Cam Smith (Fort Meade/Meade)
• Syracuse RB Sean Tucker (Baltimore/Calvert Hall)
• Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim (Baltimore/Good Counsel)
• Liberty OLB Durrell Johnson (Baltimore/Overlea)
• Ohio State DT Taron Vincent (Baltimore/Gilman, IMG Academy)
• Shepherd OL Joey Fisher (Hagerstown/Clear Spring)
• Shepherd RB-WR Ronnie Brown (Baltimore/Dundalk, Sparrows Point)
• Michigan C Olu Oluwatimi (Upper Marlboro/DeMatha)
• North Carolina DE Noah Taylor (Silver Spring/Avalon)
• Towson QB Tyrrell Pigrome (Birmingham, Ala./Clay-Chalkville)
• Towson WR Darian Street (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty)
• Towson OL Roman Wahrheit (Rhauderfehn, Germany)
• Towson DL Tramar Reece (Clearwater, Fla./Clearwater)
• Towson DL Shaheem Haltiwanger (Lexington, S.C./White Knoll)
• Towson DL Janaz Jordan (Hampton, Va./Bethel)
• Towson S Juwan Burgess (Tampa, Fla./Plant)

What else should I read to catch up?

Curious about the Ravens’ draft history? Over 27 NFL drafts, the Ravens have made more than 200 picks. Search, sort and browse them all.

Here’s what columnist Mike Preston has to say about the Ravens’ draft plans, the latest offseason happenings and a few local prospects:

• To NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., Ravens can fill their needs with just five picks
• Division II Shepherd’s Joey Fisher and Ronnie Brown join forces in effort to get to NFL
• After move from Germany to Towson, offensive lineman Roman Wahrheit could land in NFL
• Year away from the game might have given Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr. a new perspective
• Odell Beckham Jr. is a gamble the Ravens had to make
• With or without QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens’ offense can succeed under OC Todd Monken
• Ravens QB Lamar Jackson wants to sell himself, but no one is buying

Here’s an in-depth look at some of the Ravens’ offseason storylines:

• Five years after the Ravens made a splash by drafting QB Lamar Jackson, might they do it again?
• What does Odell Beckham Jr.’s deal mean for the Ravens — and Lamar Jackson — going forward? The impact is myriad.
• New Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr. is a star, but his past six seasons show he also comes with risk | ANALYSIS
• Ten things we learned about the Ravens and NFL at annual owners meetings
• NFL coaches weigh in on Ravens’ predicament with QB Lamar Jackson: ‘It’s a real challenge’
• What’s next for the Ravens and Lamar Jackson after quarterback requests to be traded? It’s anybody’s guess.
• Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is negotiating without an agent. Other NFL players have had success — but at a cost.
• As Ravens QB Lamar Jackson explores options, those who dealt with NFL franchise tag offer insight into unique process

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