Breaking: Ravens Closing In On Deal To Sign 18.4 Million Edge Rusher As Jadeveon Clowney Replacement
Should the Baltimore Ravens take a risk on the upside of Kansas Jayhawks edge rusher Austin Booker and draft him to replace Jadeveon Clowney?
The Baltimore Ravens face the challenge of improving after a successful regular season last year, despite losing key players to free agency.
One way the team might try to move forward in 2024 is to find a successor for defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who left the organization in free agency. Kansas Jayhawks edge rusher Austin Booker could be the appropriate candidate for the position.
Clowney tied his single-season sack record with the Ravens, totaling 9.5 before joining his hometown Carolina Panthers. Booker, the Jayhawks prospect, has built his professional career on the notion that he has immense untapped potential.
Booker began his collegiate career at Minnesota, but the three-star high school prospect had little experience with the Golden Gophers, appearing in six games as a red-shirt freshman and recording two tackles before moving to Kansas.
Booker had 56 total tackles, 12 for loss, eight sacks, and two forced fumbles in his only season as a Jayhawk, appearing in 12 games. Booker was unexpectedly efficient for such an inexperienced player, and his production drew attention from scouts, with some comparing him to Las Vegas Raiders multi-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro Maxx Crosby.
“The diversity of (Booker’s) rush approach is unheard of for a player with so little playing time,” according to NFL.com. “He can stride and dip at the top of the rush, then beat defenders back inside with a Euro step or spin counter. He can thrust and long-arm tackle into the pocket while remaining apart from them at the point of assault. He chases quarterbacks and running backs with agility and burst, but he may be inconsistent when dealing with downhill running plays. His reps against outstanding Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. might help propel this brilliant edge defender with monster attributes up the draft board and into an intriguing NFL future.
Booker’s combination of upside and inexperience makes him an excellent candidate for Baltimore to choose in the third round. The Ravens are currently scheduled to draft No. 93 overall in the third round, and drafting Booker could pay dividends by not only maintaining the team’s current status as a Super Bowl contender, but also adding a potential foundational piece to play alongside Justin Madubuike on defense.
