Perhaps the Baltimore Ravens will make further adjustments in the 2023 offseason. Remember that they still have to fill in some gaps on their depth chart. Of course, they can do so through the draft. Yet, there are several rookie prospects that may be considered “traps” for the Ravens. Here we'll look at the rookie prospects that the Baltimore Ravens must avoid in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Ravens have five picks in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. That is a much lower number than what they are used to having. They retained their original selections in Rounds one and three. However, their second and fifth-round picks were traded to the Chicago Bears for linebacker Roquan Smith in 2022. Fortunately, the Ravens still have their original fifth-round pick at 157th overall, as well as their original Round four and Round six picks. However, they no longer have their seventh-rounder. That was traded to the New York Giants along with offensive lineman Ben Bredeson and an additional fifth-round pick.

Although the Ravens' current number of picks is unusually low, there is a possibility that they could acquire more before the draft. The situation with quarterback Lamar Jackson is worth keeping an eye on. Jackson is on the non-exclusive franchise tag. Also, there were no agreements on an extension during the 2022 offseason. Right now, there's just so much uncertainty surrounding the Jackson issue. It has constrained the Ravens' free agency moves, and it will continue to limit their capacity to make bold moves in the draft. In the event that another team negotiates with Jackson and signs him via offer sheet, Baltimore should receive two first-round picks as the cost for giving up Jackson.

The Ravens do not have any compensatory picks from the 2022 offseason. This is a first for them in 13 years. However, the specter of losing Jackson looms large. Despite that, head coach John Harbaugh and GM Eric DeCosta still need to be cautious with their available picks.

Let’s look at the players that the Ravens must avoid in the 2023 NFL Draft.

1. Jaylon Jones

Jaylon Jones is a physical cornerback who embraces a rough style of play. He excels in getting off blocks, tackling, and defending the run. With his impressive size and ball skills, he is well-suited for playing in a zone defense. However, while he has shown the potential for greatness, he needs to work on his instincts and tighten up his coverage on squeeze routes. Additionally, his transitions can be a bit slow. He also struggles with leverage, which has caused him to take longer to exit his pedal.

For sure, Jones still has room for improvement and needs to demonstrate growth in order to increase his draft stock. He has the potential to be a really solid impact player but needs to work on his reactive instincts and smooth out his transitions. Jones surely shouldn't be the Ravens' first pick off the board.

2. Emmanuel Forbes

Emmanuel Forbes was a highly-rated recruit. He came from a competitive family and excelled at multiple sports in high school. He has impressive ball-catching skills for a defensive back. Forbes attributes this to his experience as a wide receiver. Forbes has been a starter for the Mississippi State Bulldogs since his freshman year and has become one of the top intercepting cornerbacks in college football.

However, Forbes has a slight build that could pose challenges against bigger and more physical NFL receivers. He also tends to freelance in coverage. This can leave him vulnerable to double moves. In addition, his aggressive approach can lead to missed hits and being out of position. Additionally, he received six penalties this past college football season. That was the most in his career. There are also concerns about his ability to cover more explosive wideouts vertically. Forbes must also improve his technique. In that way, opposing receivers won't beat him on vertical routes. We also feel he won't play in the slot at the next level. He could be a good pick if available in the third round. Picking him earlier, though, would not be advisable.

1. Clark Phillips III

Clark Phillips III is a former Ohio State commit turned Utah cornerback. He has become one of the most dominant defensive playmakers in college football and an attractive NFL prospect. Phillips started in all 31 games of his college career and accumulated nine interceptions. He even returned four of those for touchdowns. Phillips also finished as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.

He surely has an impressive skill set and resume. However, his height, weight, and length are not ideal at the NFL level. Teams have taken advantage of this by forcing him to play off contact and tackle. Although he is a competitive and aggressive player with no passive tendencies, his size has presented difficulties for him before. This is especially evident in terms of taking down ball carriers.

We feel at some point and for some teams, Phillips III can be an impactful starter. The Ravens, however, should not spend their first-round pick on him.