The day started early for the Ravens, with the selection of Miami ILB Tavares Gooden with pick No. 71.
Click here for more on Gooden…
Click here for video of Gooden at work with the ‘Canes…
This pick will clearly address a coming need, with Bart Scott entering a contract year and the coming sunset of Ray Lewis’ career.
(Of course, you can fill in the blanks here with your own conjecture about Lewis’ coming contract demands for an extension in the October of his career.)
At at any rate, the Ravens clearly found great value in ANOTHER undersized University of Miami linebacker.
*******
8
The Ravens just selected safety Tom Zbikowski from Notre Dame with pick No. 86.
Click here for info on Zbikowski…
Zbikowski has a history of boxing. YES…BOXING!
Here are some links…
Zbikowski boxing photo gallery here…
The video of Zbikowski’s bout with Robert Bell is here…
And when ESPN showed highlights, one of them was of Zbikowski making plays against Navy right on the field at M&T Bank Stadium.
8And like any good young man these days, Zbikowski also has a myspace page here…
Zbikowski is known as a hard hitter, good tackler but did a bit of “freelancing” (sounds like another purple safety) during the Irish’s lousy 2007 season.
He ALSO returns punts, including two for touchdowns.
A true Renaissance man!
Chris Mortensen just said: “I told Zbikowski’s agent Ralph Cindrich that he’s my favorite football player in the draft.”
He went on to say that John Lynch was taken in the third round and he sees a lot of Lynch in Zbikowski. Mortensen also said that the Golden Domer could be a “star in this league.”
Ron Jaworski just said: “A very, very solid draft” as Cris Carter nodded his head in approval. “All solid football players they’ve drafted.”
8Carter (one of the most arrogant men I’ve ever met on this planet…just a miserable dude) just spoke the truth about Gooden serving behind Ray Lewis and Zbikowski serving with Ed Reed would be great for the purple.
*******
The Ravens ended the third round of the draft with the selection of tackle Oniel Cousins from Texas-El Paso.
Here is Cousins’ official bio…
And here is some video of big Cousins at work…
*******
The Ravens used pick No. 106 to select wide receiver Marcus Smith of New Mexico.
8He’s big — 6-2, 220 pounds.
Here’s Smith’s profile…
*******
The Ravens FINALLY addressed their cornerback need with a REAL NFL cornerback, obtaining former first-rounder Fabian Washington from the Oakland Raiders.
Washington was the 23rd overall pick in the 2005 draft for the Raiders.
*******
With the 133rd pick in he draft, closing out the picks for a while, the Ravens selected tackle David Hale of Weber State.
8Nothing like depth on the O line, huh?
The press conference with Joe Flacco will begin shortly…
More to come…
