Baltimore Ravens Shows Interest in Temple Linebacker Haason Reddick
Temple's Haason Reddick may be a bit undersized for the role of defensive end/linebacker, but he more than makes up for it with his speed and athleticism. His draft stock has continued to rise in the weeks leading up to the draft and he has now become a legitimate option for the Baltimore Ravens with the 16th overall pick.
"Reddick has gone from a second-round prospect to one who could be taken has high as the middle of the first round after one of the most impressive performances at the NFL combine, which included this year's second-fastest 40-yard time among defensive linemen and linebackers (4.52 seconds) and just the third broad jump by a linebacker since 2006 to eclipse the 11-foot mark," ESPN's Jamison Hensley said in report.
The Ravens can draft Reddick and use him as Zach Orr's replacement at inside linebacker. Reddick prefers to play as an outside linebacker in a 3–4 system, but he may not have the necessary size to hold off blockers in the National Football League (NFL). That's not going to be a problem, though, since Reddick is very versatile. He may have to move to inside linebacker in the big leagues and he has already shown the world that he can be very productive in that position.
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Reddick drew a lot of attention with his performance as an inside linebacker at the Senior Bowl earlier this year, and he continued to impress league personnel at the scouting combine last month.
The Ravens will have the opportunity to take a close look at him when he comes over for a visit before the draft. Wherever he ends up playing, Reddick is just glad that he has a chance to showcase his skills in the NFL.
"I came so far. I came literally from the bottom. Now, being able to go play in the NFL is just amazing," Reddick said at the scouting combine, according to ESPN.
