The NFL Draft is a long process that involves analysis, tape, and gathering information before spending picks to select players. It takes months of preparation for the three-day event that changes lives and seals the fate of NFL franchises. During the long process, not every day brings easy decisions and information to general managers.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta Reveals the Worst Part of the NFL Draft Process
Naturally, such a long process brings surprises and disappointments in the same wave, and one thing that can frustrate a team is medicals. Knowing that a player you might be interested in has serious injury concerns brings difficult decisions to organizations, especially if you’re willing to take a risk in the first round.
Speaking during the pre-draft press conference hosted by the Baltimore Ravens, general manager Eric DeCosta revealed the most grueling days during the scouting process: when the results of medical tests performed during the NFL Scouting Combine arrive, and you discover new question marks. He noted that each year at the combine, he hates receiving prospects’ medical information in an envelope slid under his hotel room door each morning.
DeCosta also highlighted in the same answer that it’s impossible to draft a full list of players without injury concerns, but also stated that this is part of the process. With a long list of available players, he said that many evaluations change once they learn of past surgeries or things that could affect their long-term careers:
“Inevitably, there’s going to be between five to 10 players that have pretty serious medical injuries or conditions that we have to sort through and usually take a few guys off the board.”
The Ravens have taken a few risks in recent years. A good example happened with David Ojabo, their second-round pick in 2022, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins. Ojabo’s pro day was cut short when he suffered a torn Achilles, which hurt his stock, but the Ravens still used a top-50 pick to select him.
Measuring the risks and rewards of injuries is a tough task, and every general manager faces long-term decisions that could affect their franchise’s future.
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Character issues also arise during the pre-draft process, and they could massively change their boards. All those things make the NFL Draft more interesting to study and follow.
The Ravens lost Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, and replacing him through the draft will be a priority for them. According to PFSN’s Player OL Impact Metric, Linderbaum had an impact score of 87.6 and ranked third among players at his position.
