Mike Mickens (CB), University of Cincinnati
6'0", 184
Between age and free agency, corner back became a big need for the Ravens after having Samari Rolle and Chris McAllister anchor the outside of their defense since 2005. Mickens is corner who fits the Ravens system with his size and physicality and he offers great value here in the late second round.
Positives: Mickens has very good size with long arms and fluid hips. He's got great ball skills and soft hands to pluck the ball away from his body. He's a legit cover corner who's equally comfortable in man or zone coverage. He's got a nice burst to close on the ball or the ball carrier and is capable of being a reliable tackler in run support.
Negatives: Mickens does need to bulk up a bit and doesn't have elite top end speed. He can also get into trouble when trying to make a big play because he'll either gamble and go after the ball or give too much cushion trying to bait the quarterback. Not experienced in jamming receivers and has some durability concerns.
First Round Pick: Hakeem Nicks
Many thanks to Red Reign for submitting this pick. The Patriots and my wife are now on the clock (email pick to revengeofthebirds@gmail.com) with the Panthers and Aces on deck. If anyone needs to refresh their memory on the second round draft order, check here.
Also guys, we're in draft 'crunch time' right now with eight picks to cover in the next two days so we're going to be hitting these fast and furious. Please, send a list of three players who you'd like to draft as your pick approaches so that we can stay ahead of the action and knock these picks out quickly.