The Baltimore Ravens really wanted to draft Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin III in the fourth round, but the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers beat them to the punch by one pick.
As Najee Harris was announcing the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ fourth-round pick of Calvin Austin III live from Mexico City in day three of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens‘ war room could not believe their arch rival took their guy one pick before them.
While Pittsburgh had already used a second-round pick on former Georgia standout George Pickens to re-solidify their receiving corps, Baltimore did not expect for the former Memphis star Austin to be going to the Steelers. They ended up taking Coastal Carolina tight end Isaiah Likely with the pick they were hoping to use on Austin. It is good, old-fashioned division rival pettiness.
Echoing from the Ravens’ war room after the Steelers’ pick of Austin, “you gotta be kidding me.”
Baltimore Ravens could not believe Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Calvin Austin III
Even though the Ravens were unable to get their guy, so to speak, in the compensatory portion of round four, Baltimore still had an incredible draft. The best safety prospect in the entire draft fell to them at No. 14 in Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton. In a deal with the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore netted the best center prospect in the draft in Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum at No. 25 later on Thursday night.
Not only that, but the Ravens were able to get a former first-round prospect in Michigan pass-rusher David Ojabo in the second round. Had he not torn his Achilles during his Michigan pro day, Ojabo could have been a top-10 pick like his college teammate Aidan Hutchinson was to the Detroit Lions. No matter how you slice it, the Ravens had one of the better weekends of any team.
Ultimately, it is more important for the Ravens to have great tight ends than great wide receivers in their current offensive system. Greg Roman’s scheme caters to what quarterback Lamar Jackson does best, which is run and make savvy reads in the red zone. Adding a pair of high-quality tight ends in the draft in Charlie Kolar out of Iowa State and Likely from Coastal is excellent.
Baltimore may have wanted Austin, but the Ravens will have to deal with him playing for a rival.