Ravens Draft: Kevin Zeitler Replacement in Duke's Graham Barton
The Baltimore Ravens are down a couple of offensive lineman after trading Morgan Moses along with a 2024 fourth-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick, and the departure of Kevin Zeitler to Detroit in free agency.
Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner thinks Duke's Graham Barton is a possibility in the first round when the Ravens select at No. 30 in April's NFL Draft.
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"A Duke lineman named Graham will never be a sexy first-round pick. Never. But if the Ravens are serious about their offensive line rebuild, they'll need Day 1 or Day 2 talent up front, and the 6-foot-5, 313-pound Barton is among the draft's cleanest prospects.
"A three-year starter at left tackle, Barton could start his career inside, where the Ravens have lost one starter (left guard John Simpson) and will likely lose the other (right guard Kevin Zeitler). This is a draft-rich with versatile lineman. Whether the Ravens stay in the first round or trade down to the second, they should be able to find an instant-impact guard with starting-tackle potential.
"With Ronnie Stanley entering the last year of his contract, the team's search of its heir apparent at left tackle is underway."
Replacing Morgan Moses and Kevin Zeitler won't be easy. But give general manager Eric DeCosta full credit for keeping the roster competitive over the past few seasons even with the loss of key players at key positions.
There are lots of directions the Ravens could go here, but if there's a potential starting offensive lineman in the mix, that could be the direction they go.
