{"id":39768,"date":"2025-04-10T01:43:25","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T01:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=39768"},"modified":"2025-04-10T01:43:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T01:43:25","slug":"breaking-ravens-projected-to-land-small-school-pass-rusher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=39768","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Ravens Projected to Land Small-School Pass Rusher"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Baltimore Ravens could look for a diamond in the rough at the NFL Draft.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Central Arkansas defensive lineman David Walker participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine. \/ Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Throughout their history, the Baltimore Ravens have done a phenomenal job of finding impact players from smaller schools.<\/p>\n

For a recent example, there’s Isaiah Likely, a 2022 fourth-round pick from Coastal Carolina who could soon ascend to being the team’s No. 1 tight end. Going a bit further back, there’s Matt Judon, a 2016 fifth-round pick from Grand Valley State who now has 72 career sacks and four Pro Bowl nods.<\/p>\n

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Now, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes they could have their next diamond in the rough.\u00a0In his latest mock draft, Kiper has the Ravens taking Central Arkansas\u00a0pass rusher\u00a0David Walker at No. 59 overall in the second round.<\/p>\n

“I’m a big fan of Walker’s game; he jumps off the tape,” Kiper wrote. “He shows quickness, power and bend off the edge, and he mixes up his pass-rush plans to keep offensive tackles guessing. Walker had 31 sacks and 63 tackles for loss over the past three seasons.”<\/p>\n

“With Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh both entering the final years of their deals, the Ravens might start looking to the future. Walker would become the highest-drafted Central Arkansas player ever if he goes on Day 2, with Robert Rochell being the previous high as a fourth-rounder in 2021.”<\/p>\n

Walker was a first-team FCS All-American and the United Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 after recording 23 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He is relatively small at 6-1 and 263 pounds, but has the explosiveness to make up for it.<\/p>\n

Walker is\u00a0widely expected to go much later\u00a0than Kiper projects here, so the Ravens could be reaching a bit. If they believe in him, though, then they could make a play for him at some point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Baltimore Ravens could look for a diamond in the rough at the NFL Draft. 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