Pro Football Weekly and Riddell present ...
2002 NFL draft
Safe pick
Miami’s Reed bolsters Ravens’ sagging secondary
By Mike Holbrook, Managing editor of special projects
April 20, 2002
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| I have to commend the Ravens on their pick at No. 24. Miami (Fla.) S
Edward Reed is exactly the kind of ball-hawking safety that this depleted secondary needs.
Of course, I don’t think this was a difficult pick considering the way things went
prior to Baltimore’s pick. The Ravens coveted Boston College RB William Green, but
he was gone by pick No. 16 to Cleveland. They also coveted Arizona State OT Levi Jones,
but he was taken by Cincinnati at No. 10. In fact, you have to think that Ozzie Newsome
and the Ravens’ staff were none too pleased to have lost their top targets to a pair
of division rivals.
So by the time Baltimore’s pick came up at No. 24, it was pretty easy to see that
the most solid pick would be a defensive back. But which one? With the top three safeties
from last year (Rod Woodson, Corey Harris and Carnell Lake) all gone and starting CB Duane
Starks departed via free agency, the Ravens had multiple needs in the secondary.
The decision had to come down to CBs Mike Rumph, a teammate of Reed’s at Miami,
and Lito Sheppard of Florida, in addition to Reed. I’ve got a feeling that Newsome,
head coach Brian Billick and new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan saw Reed’s
leadership and big-play ability and decided he would be the perfect guy to lead their
secondary through a massive rebuilding process.
Reed, a two-time All-American who was co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Big East
as a senior, could be like Woodson was at the end of his career, a savvy player with great
leadership qualities who played his position brilliantly and who anticipated exceptionally
well to make interceptions and fumble recoveries. Reed isn’t as fast as Woodson was
in his prime, but he has many of the same qualities that made Woodson an All-Pro player
for many years.
This is a solid pick for a team that could be looking at up to eight new starters on
the defensive side of the ball. DE Michael McCrary, MLB Ray Lewis and CB Chris McAlister
are back and there’s a chance the Ravens will be able to keep DT Sam Adams.
That’s not a bad foundation for this season. Of course, it’s a far cry from the
dominating defense the Ravens displayed the past two seasons, but Reed’s addition
will certainly help keep the Ravens competitive defensively. |
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