We had to wait a few extra picks to see this one come to fruition. After trading back twice in the 2nd Round, the Ravens passed up opportunities on both Myles Jack and Noah Spence. Nevertheless, Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta got their guy with the 42nd overall pick in Kamalei Correa.
The Ravens will have a strong need at outside linebacker with the likely impending departures of Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Both players are reaching their twilight years and the Ravens need to look toward the future. This pick may have surprised Ravens fans, (as they may have expected a secondary member here) but the Ravens desperately need more pass rushers. It's hard to blame a depleted secondary, when not a much of a pass rush exists and the quarterback has more time to make decisions in the pocket.
Correa was a stud in college at Boise St., compiling 20 career sacks (with seven of them coming in 2015 and 11 tackles for loss). Correa should fit into the Ravens 3-4 scheme nicely. He is small for the position, but makes up for it with quickness and violence at the point of attack. Correa was named first-team all-conference in the Mountain West during his sophomore season.
Height/Weight: 6'3, 243
Twitter Handle: @CorreaKamalei
Comparable NFL Player: Clay Matthews - Green Bay Packers, Willie Young - Chicago Bears
Strengths:
- Frame: Well-built and compact, Correa can explode off the snap and confuse offensive lines with ease. His strength also allows him to cut inside and penetrate into the backfield.
- Finesse: Has moves that many scouts covet at his position: The ability to blow by lineman and weave his way in and out of traffic.
- Motor: This guy never. stops. running. Talk about all-effort, Correa not only hits hard, but can run down wide receivers with bursting speed and refusal to quit on a play.
- Coverage Ability: Correa has been able to drop back into coverage and performs well with quick feet and natural instincts. This should translate well in the NFL and it's something the Ravens could use out of an OLB.
Weaknesses:
- Flexibility: Yes, I mentioned Correa drops back into coverage well, but his smaller frame says he won't be able to play on the line anytime soon. At Boise St. Correa was asked to play defensive end, a position he won't have to worry about in the pros.
- Too reliant on speed: If Correa gets caught up in a good block, it will be difficult for him to react quickly enough to make the play.
Expert Opinions:
"Kamalei Correa is one of the more underrated players in this draft class...because of his explosiveness and his versatility, but what he does best is getting after the quaterback." -Todd McShay
""This kid has fun tape, folks. His best fit is in a 3-4 base defense, so he will fit what Baltimore does. He's relentless and sets a violent edge. His motor and quickness will separate him in the NFL." -Mike Mayock
"Given a weak group at the edge position, this guy could have been a Top-25 pick" -Matt Miller
2016 Outlook:
Is Kamalei Correa the next version of Paul Kruger? (A post-1st Round pick from a smaller school who makes a big impact) Correa definitely gives the Ravens speed on the edge and someone who can rush the passer. With this added speed on the edge, it may reduce the pressure on the secondary and benefit the entire defense. The only question is where he will play and how much playing time he will receive initially, but one thing is for certain: Kamalei Correa could make an immediate impact on the Ravens in 2016.