NFL Draft Regrets: The Ones Who Got Away…

This article might feel like a shot at EDC, but I promise it’s not that… it’s just meant to make you feel like crap and question everything that’s ever happened in this franchise’s history.

In all seriousness, while the Ravens have certainly had their fair share of surprising hits versus the draft board expectations, there’s also been more than a handful of players *this close* that they either passed on in lieu of a busted pick, or players they anticipated falling only to see a team jump ahead and snatch up ‘their guy.’

I’ve compiled a miserable list of such players. I recommend a nice bourbon before proceeding.

Cheers.

2018

WR DJ Moore or WR Calvin Ridley

The Ravens took TE Hayden Hurst at 25^th overall, and while the team needed help at the position, drafting a TE in the first hardly ever works out (one of the lowest positional retention percentages in Round 1), and there were much-needed wideouts sitting there for the Ravens to snatch.

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Literally, just hanging out and waiting to have their name called.

Imagine drafting Hurst smack-dab between DJ Moore (24^th) and Calvin Ridley (26^th) on an offense that at the time boasted Willie Snead, Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Chris Moore. Doesn’t either of these guys to pair with Lamar Jackson just a few picks later sound better than Hurst?

WOOF.

2019

WR Deebo Samuel

Yes, the Ravens needed WR help, (ALWAYS) and they addressed that need by drafting Marquise Brown at 25^th overall. Hollywood was solid for Baltimore, but also demanded to be traded only three years into his Ravens tenure, which… in hindsight for Hollywood, probably started the downward spiral of his career, as he’s now on his 4^th team in six years, unable to ever reproduce the stats he had in Baltimore with KC or Arizona (and it doesn’t look good in Philly as WR3).

Just 11 picks later, the San Francisco 49ers drafted WR Deebo Samuel out of South Carolina, who fit the Greg Roman offensive mold much more than the diminutive speedster, Brown.

Can you imagine Deebo as a Raven in his prime?

2020

LB Alex Highsmith

I can’t even be mad at the Devin Duvernay pick in Round 3, because this was a bad draft class for wideouts. Here’s the hit list taken before Duvernay at 92: Jerry Jeudy (15), CeeDee Lamb (17), Justin Jefferson (22), Tee Higgins (33), Michael Pittman (34). Five guys sounds solid… until you realize there were 15 wideouts drafted before Duvernay, and half of them are already out of the NFL.

I can, however, be pissed about drafting Malik Harrison at 98 while Alex Highsmith was sitting there, then taken just four picks later by Pittsburgh. To date, Highsmith has one more career interception (3) than Harrison has career sacks (2). Oh, and as for sacks… Highsmith has 43 more. No biggie.

2021

iOL Quinn Meinerz

2021 was a real bust of a year across the board for EDC. Pick your poison. Rashod Bateman in Round 1? Odafe Oweh at 27? Ben Cleveland? Brandon Stephens? All the way down to Fullback Ben Mason in Round 5. YUCK.

For this year, I’m going with an unsexy positional pick, but a guy that fans clamored for in Baltimore because he seemed to fit that lunchpail, blue collar, Baltimore mindset with that gut hanging out… it seemed like a match made in heaven.

Quinn Meinerz and the Baltimore Ravens.

Instead, the Ravens drafted Cleveland four picks before belly-boy. Cleveland went on to eat squirrels then falter in Baltimore while Meinerz started 79 games for the Broncos and was named first team All-Pro the last two seasons.

It’s fine. I’m fine.

2022

Literally anybody other than David Ojabo

Sigh… this draft was magnificent by EDC & Co, with one major blemish: David Ojabo at 45^th overall.

The entire 2^nd round of the draft is still in the NFL as active players, while every other round has guys out of the league, including Round 1. But Round 2? Gems aplenty, and the Ravens picked the only bum.

A few notable names after the Ojabo pick that could’ve been the next Ravens stud: George Pickens, Alec Pierce, Trey McBride, Luke Godeke, James Cook, Nik Bonito…

And they took Ojabo, who had the audacity to hold out on his contract, too! CHUMP.

2023

CB Riley Moss

The Ravens had limited picks in this draft, and started great with Zay Flowers in Round 1. They had no 2^nd Round pick after the trade for Roquan Smith, so what better way to use your Round 3 pick than… another… inside… linebacker.

Trenton Simpson at 86^th overall looks ridiculous when they could’ve slid up a few spots and landed Riley Moss, a lockdown corner now in Denver.

I would’ve gladly given up the 5^th rounder wasted on Kyu Blu-Kelly (who got cut that same year), or the 6^th rounder burned on OL Maleasala Aumavae-Laulu (remember him? No you don’t.) to move up for Moss over essentially using Round 2 and Round 3 on a devalued position like inside linebacker.

2024

EDGE Jalyx Hunt

The Ravens are on the board at 93 and in need of an Edge. Adisa Isaac is there. So is Jalyx Hunt. One is a big school player, and one a small school guy. Both are dart-throws in Round 3.

The Ravens go with Isaac, who has since played four games in two years, spent time on the NFI and IR more than he’s been active, and has essentially nothing to show for it.

Jalyx Hunt goes the very next pick and lands in Philly, where he’s put up 6.5 sacks with 24 QB Hits last year alone, in just nine starts.

I hate it here.

2025

Should’ve just given away the pick used on Loop

It’s the Tyler Loop pick for me. Give me literally anybody else. He lost us the Pittsburgh game. That’s all. I remain bitter.

The post NFL Draft Regrets: The Ones Who Got Away… appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/04/22/nfl-draft/dj-moore-deebo-samuel/