The Ravens have an acute need for inside linebacker help, but draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said there’s “no way,” Manti Te’o is on the board when they pick, according to the Baltimore Sun.
The Ravens, who own the 32nd overall pick, seem like a reasonable fit for the Notre Dame linebacker. But Kiper predicted he wouldn’t get past the Giants (19th overall), Bears (20th) or Vikings (23rd and 25th).
Kiper also predicted Georgia’s Alec Ogletree would be gone before the Ravens are on the clock, with LSU’s Kevin Minter as a possibility there.
While those teams could use middle linebacker help, what we don’t know is whether those teams’ evaluations of Te’o match Kiper’s.
It’s possible they view him as simply a two-down player, who lacks the speed and range to be effective on passing downs.
Te’o was manhandled by Alabama in the national championship game, and that tape, coupled with average speed, make it reasonable to wonder whether he’s worth a first-rounder at all.