Baltimore Ravens 7-Round 2020 NFL mock draft: Front seven the focus

Round 1, No. 28 Overall: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

The front seven focus begins right here in the first round, as the Baltimore Ravens select Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. We mentioned the absence in the middle of the defense since the departure of C.J. Mosley, and adding someone of Murray’s caliber would help that a lot.

The one thing that Murray brings to the table that jumps out on tape is his play speed. He has enough to work to both sidelines and has enough to turn and chase down players in the open field. Murray also looks great flying downhill to make plays and can be an effective blitzer.

He also shows enough football IQ to diagnose plays in front of him and reacts well down towards the line of scrimmage. There are plenty of examples on tape of Murray finishing downhill sniffing out screens. Don’t forget about the value of his speed and agility as a potential spy for mobile quarterbacks.

A month ago, it felt like Murray was going to end up in Oakland or Jacksonville in the late teens or early 20s in the first round because of Dylan Moses returning to school. Now, with the rise of LSU’s Patrick Queen, Murray is sliding back to where he’s been mocked to for a while. The Ravens will gladly select him here.