This year’s NFL Draft was an interesting one for the AFC North, with each team scrambling for talent that will set them apart from their division counterparts. When the dust settled, the Baltimore Ravens emerged as a team likely to be able to make gold out of their selections. Last season, the Ravens finished second in the division, one game behind the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens clinched a wildcard spot in the playoffs. After defeating the New England Patriots in the wildcard round, the Ravens fell to the Indianapolis Colts, who eventually made it to the Super Bowl.

Their 2010 NFL Draft grade is even more surprising considering that the Ravens left themselves void of a first-round pick because of trades. Baltimore did, however, manage to wrangle two second-round picks. The first was the 43rd overall pick from the Cialis Professional Miami Dolphins through the Denver Broncos. With it, the Ravens picked up Texas defensive end Sergio Kindle. Kindle has struggled through some injuries during his college career, but he will be top-caliber talent if he is able to stay healthy.

Also in the second round, the Ravens picked Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody. He is expected to add starting-caliber talent at nose tackle. These two picks will add pizzazz to the games, making Baltimore Ravens tickets top sellers.

The Ravens must have taken a page out of the Patriots’ playbook, as neither their third round nor fourth round picks were their assigned selections. Instead, they picked up their Round Three pick from the Seattle Seahawks through the Philadelphia Eagles and the Broncos. They selected Oregon tight end Ed Dickinson, who could be a complement for veteran Todd Heap. The team gave themselves extra insurance at tight end with their fourth-round pick, acquired from the Broncos.

Baltimore added BYU tight end Dennis Pitta, and he is expected to have an impact on special teams. In the later rounds, the Ravens picked up Utah wide receiver David Reed (Round Five), Syracuse defensive tackle Art Jones (Round Five) and Morehouse offensive tackle Ramon Harewood (Round Six).

The Ravens are sure to be competing with the Cincinnati Bengals for the top spot in the AFC North again, as the Bengals had similar marks as the Ravens. In the first round, the Bengals added Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, who will add more talent to their already-star-studded offensive lineup. With their second round pick, the Bengals fortified their defense with the selection of Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap. Their receiving corps will surely be something to watch out for in 2010, as their third-round pick was Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley.

The Cleveland Browns are in the building phase and used their first and second round picks to draft Florida cornerback Joe Haden and Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty, respectively. They arguably got one of the 2010 NFL Draft’s steals in the third round with their selection of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had much more on their minds than just the draft lately, with all of the drama surrounding their former golden boy (and current quarterback) Ben Roethelisberger. They must have confidence in him, as they didn’t focus on a new quarterback and instead chose Florida center Maurkice Pouncey in the first round and Virginia Tech defensive end Jason Worilds in the second round.

Author Bio: This article was sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for Baltimore Ravens tickets.

Category: Recreation and Leisure/Sports/Football
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