While first-round picks in the National Football League draft grab headlines, later-round picks often become franchise staples. The Ravens hope that is the case after this past weekend.
The team took Chris Chester from Oklahoma with the 56th overall pick in the second round. Chester, taken as a center, played just one year on the offensive line for the Sooners after spending his first three as a tight end.
Ravens offensive line coach Chris Foerster said: “He has great potential for being a real quality player.”
Ravens director of scouting Eric DeCosta said the oft-injured Chester is unique at the position.
“We love his athletic ability,” DeCosta said. “He?s a guy we think has tremendous upside at the guard/center position, and we?re very, very excited to get him.”
Chester could rotate between guard and center but said he does not have a preference. “Either one is fine,” he said. “I just like playing more than anything.”
In other news, the New York Giants signed former Aberdeen High multi-sport standout Jai Lewis. He helped lead the George Mason University men?s basketball team to the Final Four this season. He has not played football since high school.
With the pick of 5-feet-11, 182-pound cornerback David Pittman out of Division I-AA Northwestern St. in the third round, the Ravens said they addressed a void on third-down coverage. Deion Sanders, who retired at the end of last season, played the position the last two seasons.
“David Pittman gives us a chance to have a nickelback, which is huge right now,” defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said. “Currently, we really don?t have anybody with experience at that nickel spot. That was something we were really desperate for.”
Ryan said team learned the hard way last season about the importance of that position. “You have to understand that nickel is a huge, huge priority for any team,” he said.
PICK OF THE CROP
Did you know: Both the NFL Network and ESPN reported Sunday that the Ravens were in negotiations to bring Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair to Baltimore. General manager Ozzie Newsome confirmed there were discussions with Titans? general manager Floyd Reese.
“Steve is a Tennessee Titan. That has not changed. Have I had a little dialogue with Floyd? Yes. Very little,” Newsome said Sunday … Gerrick McPhearson, who played at Howard High and Cardinals Gibbons, was taken in the seventh round by the Giants. He played at the University of Maryland … Former Terp tight end Vernon Davis was takenin the first round by the 49ers … Jason Murphy, from Edmonson High and Virginia Tech, was not selected. He was an all-ACC offensive lineman.
