I know a thing or two about format flips.

I remember exactly where I was sitting in January 2005 when I heard the final bars of “Last Goodbye” by Jeff Buckley (one of the greatest songs in music history) before hearing the following come from my radio…

“WHFS. Annapolis. Washington DC.” It was immediately followed by a lot of Spanish, but I think I remember the words “Siempre de Fiesta” and “Noventa-nueve punto uno eff eme.”

It was followed by some sort of latin song that if I knew I would curse it to this day.

21 years old at the time, I can honest to God say that the day 99.1 WHFS became 99.1 El Zol was one of the saddest days of my life. It honestly felt like losing a friend.

In my teenage years, I camped outside of Harford Mall, White Marsh Mall and even on York Road in Towson to get HFStival tickets. I tuned in late at night to hear Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew Pinsky (one of the greatest teams in broadcast history) sign off Loveline at 1am with Adam’s trademark Hawaiian “Maholo.” (I found out at an older age “maholo” actually meant “thank you”, not “goodbye.” I will admit that I am still confused as to why he used it.) I stayed tuned in to hear if at 1:05 Neci would play my favorite songs from Everclear, Stone Temple Pilots, Beck or Pearl Jam.

Hell, I even called and emailed Neci repeatedly hoping she would play the Candyskins’ version of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. I really did. There was nothing cooler to me in my life than when I became friends with Neci on MySpace. It was hard for me to admit that to her after we started working together.

It was my dream as a teenager to be a WHFS disc jockey. I ultimately got the chance to live that dream, but I still swear to God I shed a tear the moment I realized the latin sounds from my radio meant 99.1 WHFS was gone forever.

Go to Florida. If you are one of those people like me, who have been putting a Spring Training trip off for whatever reason – stop with the excuses and Go to Florida! It may be to late for this year, so start planning for next year. IF, you are a true baseball fan. IF, you feel the need to experience an early summer. IF, you need to be revived – mentally and physically. Go to Sarasota, Florida. After 30 some years of talking about it and with the encouragement of my daughter (the 2nd biggest Oriole fan in our family), we finally headed south. Turned out to be one of the top 5 vacations we’ve been on. Grant it, we were blessed with the Florida sunshine,  80 degree temperatures and basically “Chamber of Commerce” weather. All that did was simply enhance the overall experience.

It is March – NCAA basketball tourney, St. Patty’s Day, Gulf Coast beaches and Oriole baseball – in Florida. Are you kidding me? You fly into Tampa, you get the rental car, you roll down the window and proceed south on Route 75, going 75 or you will be run over by Granny who is doing 85+. We hit downtown Sarasota and fans with baseball jerseys are abundant. Our Oriole affiliated hotel was probably: 50% O’s fans, 25% miscellaneous MLB team fans and 25% general vacationers. If you had orange and black on, a conversation was initiated. I’m talking good conversation – Orioles, baseball, Baltimore and Florida. My daughters comment after the secoond day – “Everyone is so friendly here.” My response – a) people are on vacation. b) Majority are baseball fans. c) there is a common thread and that thread is – Baltimore and Oriole baseball.”

Ed Smith Stadium – the talk of the Spring Training Parks. A must see among the baseball faithful who make it a point to include the Grapefruit League as a scheduled vacation every year. The 2 games we attended, Minnesota and Phillies were sold out. Yes, sold out spring training games. People were scalping tickets for 2-3x box office price. People at the hotel were contacting ticket brokers. It was nuts. I was not expecting that. The smell of summer was in the air and the anticipation of a competitive Orioles team and season within reach. The Orioles and design team did a nice renovation of the ballpark. From the pictures I saw of the condition prior to renovation and the work that was accomplished in a year – props to the construction team. Clean, new, fan friendly, reasonable prices, 8,000 Camden green seats, decent food and quality baseball no more than say 50 feet from you at any given time. Go to Florida.

Orioles report – Nick Markakis (Future Hall of Famer) – you knew I had to get that out first. Vlad Guerrero is going to keep you watching. Saw the new third baseman, Mark Reynolds bat 5 times, he struck out 4. JJ Hardy looks like he’s 16 years old – winds up on delivery to first - but has a gun. Derek Lee is a large dude that may have Glenn Davis syndrome. Jake Fox hit a foul ball down the left field line that I do not believe has come down yet. Starting pitching will surprise the league. 85 wins!

Opening Day starting line-up: Robert Andino 2B (guess we’ll see Roberts after All-Star break and Izturis needs to learn how to turn DP), Adam Jones CF, (Future Hall of Famer) RF, Vlad (DH), Luke Scott LF, JJ Hardy SS, Jake Fox 1B, Weiters C, Mark Reynolds 3B, Guthrie P. Need to get Pie into line-up. Hopefully Derek Lee will mend his body. Leadoff batter is going to be tough with Roberts out again. If they can just hang in there until All-Star break. 85 wins!

Gang, last week I had my “Cheeseburger in Paradise” – (do I have to even write his name). I suggest you do the same. Go to Florida and experience O’s Spring Training and the Sarasota area. It’s healthy!

D.I.Y.

Fedman

Monday 3-Pointer

#1 – How Great is 68?

The inaugural 68-team NCAA tournament field was unveiled on Sunday night, and the early results seem to indicate that the additional 4 at-large berths added to the bubble controversy instead of quelling it. With the inclusions of VCU (who I lobbied for here last week) and UAB, the committee seemed to put some level of importance on insuring that the mid-major conferences saw some benefit from the additional 4 spots.

Making a case for any of the snubbed teams (Virginia Tech, Boston College, Harvard, Colorado, St. Mary’s or Alabama) is easy against either VCU or UAB, but much tougher against the next level of at-large inclusions. It seems the 4 (technically 3) additional spots in the field only added to the controversy. In football I’d argue that the controversy adds to the interest, but basketball doesn’t need any interest enhancers. College basketball has a built-in interest enhancer called the bracket pool. By putting play-in games on the 11 and 12 lines they may have screwed those up a bit too.

If the desired result was an outcry to see the field expanded to 96-teams…we’ll see. If the desired result was to reassure the good folks at the BCS that they’re doing okay…mission accomplished. While the BCS has far more critics than the NCAA tournament, the argument to emulate an NCAA style bracket or an add-1 National Championship formula is seemingly the biggest gripe against them, the controversy currently surrounding the 69^th through 75^th seeds in basketball surely at least illustrates that you can never add enough teams to make everyone happy. And in some cases, like this year perhaps, adding more teams seemed to make even more people unhappy. At least the BCS has a formula; no matter how tricky it is, determined by a computer. College basketball still goes about picking its playoff teams like beauty contestants arbitrarily based on what individual judges like.

#2 – O’s’ Ailing Early

The Orioles are still over two weeks away from the season opener and already injuries have become a concern. Free agent first baseman, and perceived middle of the lineup fixture Derrek Lee has yet to do anything resembling baseball since arriving on a 1-year flyer, Koji Uehara is looking more and more like the pitcher that O’s fans were frustrated with through the first 90% of his time in Baltimore and less and less like the encouraging final 10% or so that he showed at the end of last season. Justin Duscherer has made several unsuccessful attempts at pitching comfortably and isn’t looking likely for the season’s opener, and of course there’s Brian Roberts.

With Roberts more than seemingly any other player, the fan base seems polarized. As the longest tenured member of the squad, familiarity has led to contempt from some and staunch loyalty from others as it relates to Roberts as a member of the team. Additionally, Roberts (often rumored to be the object of Angelos’ affections) has reportedly been at the center of a number of squashed trade requests, giving those with a proverbial axe to grind all of the ammunition they need to call he and the O’s to task for what appears to be a career now quickly on its downside.

For all of the accolades that were showered on Buck Showalter after his arrival last season, it’s the return of Roberts at the top of the order that many look to as the biggest catalyst for the O’s late season turnaround. Replacing him at second base is one thing, but replacing him as the leadoff hitter quite another. If and when Roberts is healthy enough to be counted on though, you have to begin to wonder if the O’s would be better served employing him elsewhere in the lineup.

Clearly you’d still want him batting early in the order, he’s a disciplined hitter, adept at taking pitches and working counts, and he puts together loads of productive at bats, that part you don’t want to compromise. When it comes to the other things that you count on your leadoff hitter to do though (particularly running and stealing bases) those may not be things that you can’t consistently ask Roberts to do if you hope to have him around much longer.

Roberts’ propensity for stealing bases has clearly decreased in recent seasons, but at what cost to the team? Clearly he’ll be productive wherever you employ him, but could the O’s be more effective overall with a better threat to steal in the leadoff spot, to compel fastballs and keep pitchers off balance for the guys that follow him? Would Roberts be better or at least more available to the team if he could save his body a little more too? The O’s and their second baseman are locked into one another for the foreseeable future. How well both perform going forward will likely unify the schools of thought on Roberts in one way or the other. For now, it’s safe to say that most O’s fans are feeling Roberts’ pain in the neck themselves to some degree.

#3 – Harbaugh vs. Ozzie: The Blame Game

We are three years in to the Harbaugh experience here in Baltimore, and most I think are still reserving judgment. The body of work that he’s managed to put together in 3 short seasons is tough to argue with. The degree of credit/blame that he deserves for the successes and failures of the Ravens is what’s debatable at this point.

As fans grow weary of one side of the ball or the other they begin to look for scapegoats. If the head coach is perceived to be an expert on the side of the ball that has fans frustrated then he will be taken to task. If the problem is perceived to be on the other side of the ball, it’s the coordinator who’s taken to task by fans and media. In Harbaugh’s case, no one seems to identify him with one side of the ball or the other, so by default criticism has consistently befallen his coordinators. How long will Harbaugh enjoy this level of detachment? If you believe what you’ve read this off-season, that luxury may have run out. Harbaugh may have ended it for himself.

Some fans point to the draft record of Ozzie Newsome, and blame the Ravens problems on a front office that may have lost its impeccable touch. Surely the team has had their share of draft day successes in recent seasons, but with those have come more failures than the Ravens have been typically used to.

The big question that I have is how much of the teams (perceived) recent draft woes fall at the feet of the head coach too? While the historical track record of the Ravens is full of first round players who saw their talents through to fruition, the real keys to the teams success is the minds of many came from the multitude of late round and undrafted players who came in and over time grew into the system. The Harbaugh era so far has been most lacking from the standpoint of developing those fringe players into contributors, low paid contributors who provide salary cap relief while filling valuable roles. Without those, success in the NFL is tough.

Whether the blame for the Ravens’ recent deficiencies in those areas falls more on Harbaugh or Newsome is anyone’s guess. It’s safe to say though that despite his prolific track record so far, his legend can’t match that of Newsome. If blame has to be cast, we know upon whom it will most likely fall, and developing players this year will be especially tough with the work stoppage. Add that to the laundry list of issues that we as fans still seem to have with Harbaugh, who by all relative means is achieving an historical amount of success despite his perceived shortcomings.

Here’s Where I’m Playing Right Now:

Tournament Bracket Challenge at ESPN…up to 10 entries. Join my group.

We’re over ten days removed from the National Football League’s annual Scouting Combine at LucasOil Stadium in Indianapolis.

I apologize for the delay in updates, a trip to Sarasota for Orioles Spring Training is to blame.

Now draft season heads back to campus, as schools host Pro Timing Days for their NFL Draft hopefuls.

The Baltimore Ravens brought a significant contingent of personnel folks to the premiere event during Draft season, including General Manager Ozzie Newsome, Director of Player Personnel Eric DeCosta, Director of College Scouting Joe Hortiz and Head Coach John Harbaugh. The group was very active over the weekend with meetings and workouts.

Before I continue, I remind you of the players we have already profiled during Draft season.

QB-Ricky Dobbs (Navy), Pat Devlin (Delaware), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Josh Portis (California-Pennsylvania), Taylor Potts (Texas Tech), Christian Ponder (Florida State), Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech)
FB-Anthony Sherman (Connecticut), Owen Marecic (Stanford)
RB-Evan Royster (Penn State), Da’Rel Scott (Maryland), DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma), Damien Berry (Miami), Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State), Roy Helu Jr. (Nebraska), Alex Green (Hawaii), Shane Vereen (Cal), Jordan Todman (UConn)
WR-Lester Jean (Florida Atlantic), Terrence Toliver (LSU), Leonard Hankerson (Miami), Austin Pettis (Boise State), Denarius Moore (Tennessee), Owen Spencer (North Carolina State), Jock Sanders (West Virginia), Titus Young (Boise State), Vincent Brown (San Diego State), Ryan Whalen (Stanford), Torrey Smith (Maryland), Randall Cobb (Kentucky), Jon Baldwin (Pittsburgh), Greg Salas (Hawaii)
TE-Will Yeatman (Maryland)
OT-Matthew O’Donnell (Queens University Canada), Gabe Carimi (Wisconsin), Nate Solder (Colorado), Anthony Costanzo (Boston College), Joseph Barksdale (LSU)
C-Zane Taylor (Utah), Kris O’Dowd (Southern Cal)
DE-Justin Trattou (Florida), Allen Bailey (Miami), Eddie Jones (Texas), Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), Brooks Reed (Arizona), Cliff Matthews (South Carolina), JJ Watt (Wisconsin)
LB-Mark Herzlich (Boston College), Casey Matthews (Oregon), Adrian Moten (Maryland), Nate Irving (NC State)
S-Jermale Hines (Ohio State), Jaiquawn Jarrett (Temple), Maurice Rolle (Louisiana-Lafayette), Rahim Moore (UCLA), Ahmad Black (Florida)
CB-Anthony Gaitor (Florida International), Aaron Williams (Texas), Jalil Brown (Colorado), Jimmy Smith (Colorado)

If you missed any of those profiles, you can check them out in the archives here at WNST.net.

Part 1-A look at players who participated in the East West Shrine Game in Orlando, Florida
Part 2-A look at players who participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama
Part 3-A look at players who participated in the NFLPA Game (former Texas vs. The Nation Game) in San Antonio, Texas
Parts 4, 5 & 6-Previews of players ahead of the Combine

The Baltimore Ravens made no personnel changes this week, so my team needs remain the same…

1. Defensive End
2. Offensive Tackle
3. Wide Receiver
4. Cornerback
5. Fullback
6. Inside Linebacker
7. Safety
8. Center
9. Running Back
10. Quarterback

Here are ten more prospects to keep an eye on as we move from the Combine to Pro Timing Days.

Thanks to CBSSports.com/NFLDraftScout.com, NFLDraftBible.com, WNST.net (The AP), ESPN.com, Wikipedia, YouTube and various official athletic websites for helping to put together the profiles.

DE Cameron Heyward (Ohio State)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inKtdfodCak[/youtube]

Remember when former Buckeyes LB James Laurinaitis was headed towards the 2009 NFL Draft and his name couldn’t come up without a mention of his father Joe Laurinaitis (the former WWF star “Road Warrior Animal”)?

Be prepared for the same now with Cameron Heyward-the son of former New Orleans Saints RB Craig “Ironhead” Heyward.

Much like Lauriniatis, Heyward heads toward the Draft as a marquee prospect.

Heyward measured in at 6’5″, 294 pounds in Indy. The only disappointing part of his weekend was that an offseason elbow surgery prevented him from being able to lift, where he would have been expected to show off great upper body strength.

Heyward probably won’t be able to lift between now and the Draft, which could allow him to slip to late in the first round or completely out of the first round altogether. He did take time however to show reporters assembled in Indianapolis that he was fully capable of bending his arm at the elbow and had a full range of motion in his arm.

The most impressive part of Heyward’s trip to Indy was his session with the media. Heyward was very impressive in talking to reporters, thinking back on a life growing up around the NFL.

The question for the Ravens will be whether or not Heyward can consistently pressure quarterbacks. He tallied just four sacks during his senior year in Columbus, 15 sacks overall during four seasons at OSU.

The Ravens NEED a rush end, we all know that. But they need a rush end who they can count on to truly generate…well…a rush. There’s certainly a chance Heyward could be that player.

WR Cecil Shorts III (Mount Union)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfn3oxSbJ6A[/youtube]

Shorts just joined Thyrl Nelson Monday on “The Mobtown Sports Beat” on AM1570 WNST. If you missed it, I suggest you check it out in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault here at WNST.net.

Shorts found immediate superstardom in Charm City over Combine weekend, as the Ravens didn’t hide from their interest in him. Shorts in fact confirmed to WNST.net that he had met with the team’s entire coaching staff and Newsome.

Shorts is smart to bring up the name Pierre Garcon every time he speaks, as the fellow former Purple Raiders receiver has found immediate success with the Colts.

For as much attention as was paid to Shorts during Combine weekend, his 40 time and measurements hurt. He was listed as 6’2″ during college, but measured in at 6’0″. For a speed receiver, his 4.53 time in the forty was disappointing.

Shorts finished his college career with 4,615 yards receiving, which is nothing to sneeze at. He of course posted those numbers at a Division III school, although Mt. Union was one of the premiere programs at the D3 level.

He’s not going to be a Thursday night pick…or a Friday night pick. And Shorts is certainly not “the answer” for the Ravens in terms of upgrading their WR corps. But he could become a solid complementary piece in Cam Cameron’s offense, and could certainly be an option in the team’s return game.

RB Dion Lewis (Pitt)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1wwCS_BBVI[/youtube]

Has there been a more confusing early NFL Draft entry in recent years than Lewis?

Lewis is not a prototypical every down back. He’s much closer to a Ray Rice type of undersized back who will have to be involved in the passing game to really make an impact at the next level.

Of course, that’s an overly fair comparison. No one in the NFL thinks Dion Lewis is the next Ray Rice right now, which is why he could still be an intriguing option late in the Draft.

Lewis (5’7″, 193 pounds) played for just two seasons with the Panthers before departing for the NFL. His (redshirt) freshman season was incredible, as his 1,799 rushing yards and 5.5 yards per carry average made fans in Western Pennsylvania forget about LeSean McCoy, who had been drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles.

But his production in his sophomore season didn’t quite reach the same level, as he ran for just 1,061 yards and his average fell to 4.8 yards per carry.

Certainly part of the reason McCoy left school is because of the way running backs are now used in the NFL. There is a common thought that teams are looking for backs with more “tread left on the tires”, as the average shelf life for a back is much shorter than it once was.

Lewis would NOT be a “replacement” for Willis McGahee should the Ravens cut tie with the veteran as expected. But the Ravens could be looking to add multiple pieces to their backfield. As the Draft gets later, Lewis could be an option.

CB DeMarcus Van Dyke (Miami)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHTTKwmI_Uk[/youtube]

You’re thinking to yourself…”I know that name!”

You do. Van Dyke became one of the more recognizable names of Draft season when he posted a blazing 4.28 forty yard dash at the Combine, making him the fastest man in Indianapolis.

On top of his speed, scouts clearly like Van Dyke’s size. The former Hurricanes DB measured in at 6’1″, 176 pounds in Indianapolis.

Unfortunately, speed and size alone do not make a player a legitimate NFL prospect. Van Dyke collected three interceptions during his career in Coral Gables, but struggled underneath and in zone situations, only really showing true ability in deep man coverages.

If he wasn’t 6’1″ and blazing fast, Van Dyke wouldn’t be a prospect AT ALL. Because of his size and speed, a team is going to be willing to take a late round chance on his as a developmental prospect.

The Ravens have questions in their secondary; as Chris Carr, Josh Wilson and Fabian Washington are all unrestricted free agents. On top of that, Cary Williams is an exclusive rights free agent and Domonique Foxworth is coming off an ACL injury.

Van Dyke is NOT a player the Ravens could take at the top of the Draft and plug in to play next season. But he could be allowed to progress behind veteran corners in Chuck Pagano’s defense.

DE Dontay Moch (Nevada)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PT3GoRCKY8[/youtube]

What we know is that Moch is FAST.

How fast?

He posted a 4.44 time in the forty at the Combine, easily the fastest amongst D-Linemen and Linebackers. What’s crazier is that Moch had previously recorded a 4.20 forty time at a Pro Timing Day in Reno as a junior.

The question for scouts now is whether or not Moch can match his speed with defensive skill.

Moch is a 6’1″, 248 pound end who many folks believe will have to be converted to an OLB at the next level. That would obviously limit his value to a team like the Ravens, who are in desperate need of D-End help.

Moch definitely showed an ability to get to the QB during his four seasons with the Wolf Pack, collecting 29 sacks during his career. He’s also intelligent, composing a NFL Draft diary during the process for the website SB Nation Arizona (he’s a Chandler, Arizona native).

If the Ravens feel he can team with LB Terrell Suggs and provide pressure from the edge, he could very well be a Friday night choice.

QB Jake Locker (Washington)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZchE4x7zlE[/youtube]

If there was any thought process that somehow Jake Locker could slip far enough in the Draft that he could end up being an option for the Ravens, it’s certainly gone now.

While there are still questions about his throwing accuracy, Locker’s 4.52 time in the 40 yard dash and overall Combine performance confirmed that he’ll be a 2nd round pick at worst. That’s far too early for the Ravens to consider a quarterback with an established starter in Joe Flacco.

Locker will not be the Top 10 pick we once thought he would be, but the former Huskies QB seems more and more likely to be picked 25th by his hometown Seattle Seahawks.

Wherever he ends up, he’ll bring 53 TD passes as a Pac 10 quarterback and a solid 6’3″, 231 pound frame.

But unless something were to happen to Flacco between now and the end of April, he won’t be bringing those attributes to Baltimore.

C Rodney Hudson (Florida State)

The bad news? Hudson was a guard (and actually played some tackle as well) in Tallahassee, and was a bit undersized even for a very talented ACC Offensive Lineman.

The good news? Hudson is expected to play center at the NFL level, reported to the Combine ten pounds heavier than when he played in the Senior Bowl and would have at least a season (fingers crossed for good health) to study under veteran Matt Birk.

Hudson checked in at 6’2″, 299 pounds in Indianapolis, and the only downside for the Ravens is that he’s continuously risen on Draft boards.

He won’t be taken before Mike Pouncey, but he might not last long enough for the Ravens to get him with the 59th pick in the draft.

Most scouts think Hudson could play immediately. If the Ravens can call his name in New York, they might have the benefit of not having to find out.

LB Colin McCarthy (Miami)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wB-pouJkVw[/youtube]

Looking to the Canes for defensive help wouldn’t be something new for the Ravens organization.

At times, their success has reached a historic level (see Ray Lewis & Ed Reed). At other times, the jury is still out (see Tavares Gooden).

Interesting to mention the names of Gooden and Lewis, as both play a role in why McCarthy might be a legitimate choice for the Ravens.

Gooden is part of a trio (Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain are the others) who have failed to solidify the WILL backer spot next to Lewis in the team’s 3-4 scheme. And as Harbaugh pointed out in a town hall conference call with fans this week, the team is aware that they have to start considering a long term replacement for Lewis at the MIKE backer spot.

McCarthy could be an option for either role…or perhaps both.

McCarthy is a 6’1″, 238 pound linebacker with decent speed who was a tackle machine (120 in his senior season, 297 for his career) during his time playing for Randy Shannon at “The U.”

On top of being a solid football player, he’s also a smart kid. If you missed his interview with Drew Forrester Wednesday on “The Morning Reaction” on AM1570 WNST, I would encourage you to check it out in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault at WNST.net.

He’s going to go somewhere between the second and fourth rounds of the Draft. It might very well end up that he finds his way to Baltimore.

QB Greg McElroy (Alabama)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQPVv4pafN8[/youtube]

Despite the fact it was a 43 he posted on the Wonderlic and not a 48, we know that McElroy is intelligent.

We also know that he’s a winner-which helped him win a BCS Championship as a junior with the Crimson Tide.

He also posted fairly impressive numbers in Tuscaloosa, throwing for 5,495 yards and 17 TD’s combined between his junior and senior seasons.

McElroy might not be a future franchise quarterback and will likely stay on the board well into Saturday. That’s exactly where the Ravens might be looking for a quarterback to play behind Flacco with Marc Bulger’s future in question.

He’s got pretty good size, measuring in at 6’2″, 220 pounds at the Combine. We know that Newsome LOVES to draft players from Alabama.

I don’t think it would be a surprise to anyone if McElroy ended up in purple and black.

LB Martez Wilson (Illinois)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_kX-cfzjjw[/youtube]

As we mentioned with McCarthy, the Ravens are definitely in the market for ILB help.

Wilson is considered by most scouts (including our own Brian Billick) to be the best inside backer available this year. He posted an impressive 4.49 time in the forty at the Combine, making him the fastest backer in the Draft.

Wilson measured in at 6’4″, 250 pounds in Indy; and had an impressive 111 tackles during his final season with the Illini.

The Ravens are going to need ILB help in this Draft. The question will be whether or not they will want to address it as early as will be necessary to walk away with Wilson. He’s going to have a chance to go as early as late in the first round (the Ravens pick 26th) or early in the second round.

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G