Here’s a look at the perceived draft needs of the Baltimore Ravens, with heavy input from Matt Miller and David Gardner of NewEraScouting.com.     

Quarterback: The Ravens have a good group of quarterbacks on the roster, but there is no obvious promise for the future.  But Troy Smith could be the answer.  He played well in short duty last year, but there are legitimate concerns about his size and passing ability.  Steve McNair figures to be the starter for at least one more season, with Kyle Boller returning as No. 2.  If Matt Ryan is on the board at when the Ravens pick at No. 8, the front office might not be able to leave him there.  This is one of the smartest organization when it comes to the draft, so expect a very solid pick from Baltimore.  The best move might be to make Ryan the pick.

Cornerback:  Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle have both had very good careers, but both are getting older.  The Ravens have zero depth behind them.  Drafting the best available cornerback in the second round is a must for Baltimore, should they pick Ryan in round one.  The 2008 draft is full of talented corners in the top three rounds.  In round two, Baltimore easily find a starter in Justin King (Penn State) or Brandon Flowers (Virginia Tech).  Looking down the list, in the third round there will be potential starters in Terrell Thomas (USC) and DeJuan Tribble (Boston College).

Offensive tackle:  If Jonathan Ogden retires, this becomes a major area of need.  Jared Gaither was a pleasant surprise after being picked up in the Supplemental Draft.  He’s a massive player who looks to be have a ton of potential.  Adam Terry figures to start at right tackle, but this is out of necessity.  We’ve seen the Ravens ‘brass talking with players like Sam Baker (USC) at the Senior Bowl and Ryan Clady (Boise State) at the NFL Combine.

Running back:  Willis McGahee had a good first year in Baltimore, rushing for 1,207 yards.  But there isn’t much on the roster behind McGahee.  Veteran Musa Smith is a free agent, and he remains unsigned.  The ‘08 class is full of talented runners of every style.  The Ravens have preferred tough nosed-runners in the past.  The team has been linked loosely to Rutgers Ray Rice, a power runner with good speed.

Safety:  Dawan Landry and Ed Reed combine to form one of the best tandems in the league.  Each player is able to attack the run and provide solid pass coverage.  Should either player be lost to injury, Baltimore would be in serious trouble.  At this time there are no other safeties on the roster, with only exclusive rights free agent Jamaine Winborn likely to come back.  Expect Baltimore to be active adding at least one safety during the draft and then likely a few more as priority free agents after the seven-round swap meet.

Defensive tackle: Kelly Gregg remains one of the best nose tackles in football.  Rex Ryan is expected to continue to run a hybrid 3-4/4-3 scheme, which puts pressure on the defensive linemen to know many positions and roles.  Behind Gregg at nose there is only Zarnell Fitch.  The Ravens must add a true three-technique tackle for those times when they do run a 4-3.  This player could also figure into the plans in a 3-4.  We like Haloti Ngata as a run stuffer, but his pass-rushing abilities leave something to be desired at this time.