3 Biggest NFL Draft Busts in Baltimore Ravens History
The Baltimore Ravens have had a sustained period of success over the last few years in the NFL, until 2021 where they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. This was largely due to an injury crisis that swept through the team from pre-season onwards. Head coach John Harbaugh will be hoping some of his 2022 NFL Draft selections can help beef up their roster to avoid a repeat of last year.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said star CB Marlon Humphrey is headed for an MRI for an unspecified injury: "It could be a while."
Would be a brutal blow for a team that has dealt with so many injuries this season.
The Ravens have had plenty of success selecting early in the draft, with players such as Ed Reed and Ray Lewis all being early picks by Baltimore, going on to have Hall of Fame careers.
However, there have been times when they have picked players who they hoped would have the same impact, only for them to flop. Here are the three biggest NFL Draft busts in Baltimore Ravens history.
Baltimore Ravens NFL Draft Busts
#3 - Breshad Perriman - Round 1, Pick 26, 2015
Breshad Perriman was selected in round one of the 2015 draft. Coming out of UCF, there was real hope that he could become the star of the Ravens' passing attack and a key weapon for quarterback Joe Flacco. Unfortunately, Perriman wouldn’t play during his rookie season after being put on injured reserve after tearing his right PCL during training camp. He would return for the 2016 season, but was limited to just one start, catching one solitary touchdown and going for 499 yards across the entire season. He would make even less of an impact in 2017, only having 77 total yards across the year, before being released in September 2018.
With only four starts, 576 receiving yards and four touchdowns, this clearly wasn't the sort of production Baltimore were hoping for with their first-round investment. He has since bounced around the league, playing for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets.
#2 - Sergio Kindle - Round 2, Pick 43, 2010
Linebacker Sergio Kindle was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2010 draft and was seen as a first-round talent but fell to round two due to off-field issues and injury worries. In July 2010, just months after he was drafted, Kindle fell down two flights of stairs at his home in Austin, Texas, and after being examined, was shown to have suffered a fractured skull in the fall.
After missing his entire rookie season, he finally made his Ravens debut in week four of 2011, but primarily played on special teams.
He was waived by Baltimore in October 2012, to make roster space for Terrell Suggs, and after being re-signed to the practice squad, was released in January 2013. Appearing in three games for the Ravens in total, he hasn’t played in the NFL since.
#1 - Kyle Boller, Round 1, Pick 19, 2003
Baltimore were hopeful that they would find their franchise quarterback when they took on Kyle Boller with the 19th pick in the 2003 draft, but he failed to live up to expectations. In his rookie year, he threw seven touchdowns and nine interceptions as he competed for the starting role with veteran Steve McNair. In his second year, he started all 16 games as the Ravens went 9-7, but performed below par with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. As the stats show, Boller struggled with interceptions during his time in the league; throwing more interceptions (54) than touchdowns (48) across a career that after the Ravens included the Rams, Raiders and Chargers.
Following the drafting of Joe Flacco in 2008, Boller became surplus to requirements and was released by the Ravens. He would end his time in Baltimore in 2009, with a 20-22 career record and 45 touchdowns to 44 interceptions during six seasons with the team.
Still think about the time Kyle Boller warmed up to come into a game the Ravens trailed 21-0 in the 4th quarter and couldn't even complete a four yard pass on he sideline to a stationary target https://t.co/YTyHgWEiwu