The third round is a unique round in the NFL draft where teams can find players who are very talented but were overlooked or exceptional players predicted to get drafted high but drop down a round or two for various reasons.
The Ravens seem to have had poor luck with their third round draft picks in the last few years. The players they choose are physically talented but never get on the field and stay there. Lets look back at the players the Ravens have drafted in the third round in the last six years:
2004: Devard Darling- Darling had the size and above average speed the Ravens were looking for, he was 6'1 and over 200 pounds. The conundrum for Darling was his lack of all the other qualities good wide receivers have. He did not have good hands and good route running. This caused him to earn dismal numbers during his tenure in Baltimore until his contract year when he began to produce during the quarterback carousel of 2007 for Steve Mcnair, Kyle Boller and Troy Smith. His last minute production was not enough to convince the Harbaugh and the new coaching staff that he was worth keeping around. Darling is currently an unrestricted free agent looking for a team to pick him up.
2005: None
2006: David Pittman was selected 87th overall and was expected to help bring youth and talent to the Ravens secondary that was beginning to age. His rookie season was slighted due to injury. He did not play in any games until his sophomore season where he held down the lower part of the cornerback depth chart and eventually started the last game of the Ravens' horrendous 2007 season. He ended the season with two interceptions both versus the Steelers in week 17. Since Pittman has left Baltimore, he has not played in a regular season NFL game. He has been on the practice squad of several teams including: New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans.
2007: Iowa product Marshall Yanda may be considered the success story of the bunch. Yanda has started games at the guard and tackle positions. He started twelve games in his rookie campaign. During Yanda's sophomore season, the Ravens brought in gigantic veteran tackle Willie Anderson to complement Yanda but in actuality he replaced Yanda at the right tackle position and Yanda moved to right guard. In the 2009 season he played a back up role for the guards and tackles. Yanda is still on the team and right now has more NFL starts than all of the other players we mentioning here.
2008: Linebacker Tavares Gooden graduated from "the U", the same university Ray Lewis graduated from. He appeared to have similarities with his mentor because of the number he wore in college and the intensity he liked to play with. We have not seen much from Gooden in the regular season because he has not been able to remain in a starting position on the roster. Everytime Gooden begins to get settled in next to Ray Lewis he either gets hurt or he gets replaced with another linebacker ie. Dannell Ellerbe. He was injured during entire rookie season. Gooden is still on the roster competing to regain the starting position he had owned a year ago. If he can match his incredible speed with more durability and physical tackling, Gooden will become a nice complement to the aging Ray Lewis.
2009: One of the biggest impressions left on the minds of the Ravens' organization was the impressive play of cornerback Lardarius Webb. He ended the past season on injured reserve but before he got hurt he was beginning to solidify himself as a cornerback capable of starting in the Ravens defense. His physical tackling, speed and versatility to play cornerback and return kicks made him a player Ravens are looking forward seeing on the field next season. If Webb returns to 100 percent sometime during the 2010 season, he will be an asset the Ravens really need.
The injury bug has been biting third round picks hard for the last few years. Hopefully Ed Dickson will avoid this trend and become an exceptional player at the tight end position.
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