Ravens first-round draft pick Ronnie Stanley was introduced to the media in Owings Mills on Friday.
Below are five things to know about the new left tackle:
1. He knows he has big shoes to fill.
The first offensive lineman drafted in the top 10 by the Ravens since 1996, Stanley didn’t shy away from expectations when asked about the standard set in Baltimore by Hall of Fame left tackle Jonathan Ogden.
“That’s definitely what I want to be,” said Stanley, who added that he tries to model his play after Dallas left tackle Tyron Smith. “Jonathan Ogden has definitely set the bar, especially being part of the same organization he is. But he set the bar for the whole league. He’s a legend. He’s a Hall of Famer, and he’s probably the best tackle to ever do it.”
Stanley was just two years old when the Ravens selected Ogden with the first pick in franchise history.
2. His offensive line coach at Notre Dame is close with John Harbaugh.
Harbaugh acknowledged Thursday that Harry Hiestand is one of his “very best friends” in coaching after they worked together at the University of Cincinnati over 20 years ago.
That means not only did the Ravens get a better idea of what the left tackle is about as both a person and a player, but Stanley heard plenty about his new coach from Hiestand.
“He told me he’s a hard coach and he wants to win,” Stanley said. “He’s a competitor, and that’s exactly how I am as a person. I couldn’t be happier.”
3. He’ll see a familiar face lining up against him in practice.
Stanley became the sixth Notre Dame player to be drafted by Baltimore, joining Anthony Weaver (2002), Javin Hunter (2002), Gerome Sapp (2003), Tom Zbikowski (2008), and Kapron Lewis-Moore (2013).
Lewis-Moore was a senior defensive captain for the Fighting Irish in 2012 when Stanley was a freshman who saw action in two games as a reserve. The newest Raven’s first collegiate action came against Navy in a game played in Ireland.
4. He credits his basketball career for his exceptional footwork as an offensive lineman.
The 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman was a member of three state champion basketball teams in high school and even received playing time as a freshman. He also played high-level AAU basketball in the summer and could have been a Division I basketball player, according to his coach.
Is he now the best basketball player on the Ravens roster?
“I don’t know,” said Stanley as he smiled. “I haven’t met everyone.”
5. He and Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard both attended Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas.
Stanley says he didn’t know Baltimore’s other popular rookie athlete in high school, but it’s interesting that their paths now cross a few years later and more than 2,000 miles away from Las Vegas.
“I honestly didn’t know it at the time, but I saw it over on Twitter,” said Stanley, who is two years younger than Rickard. “I was very happy to hear that we’re representing in both sports in this great city.”
Stanley becomes the third Gorman product to be an active NFL player, joining Tennessee running back DeMarco Murray and Pittsburgh tight end Xavier Grimble.
