Eric DeCosta says Ravens won’t be predictable in draft

TL;DR

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta stated that the team aims to avoid predictability in their draft strategy, emphasizing flexibility and openness to new ideas. He highlighted the importance of adapting to changes in staff and refining evaluation methods.

Key points

Eric DeCosta emphasizes avoiding predictability in the draft.
The Ravens are open to new ideas from their evolving staff.
Staff turnover helps refine evaluation methods and avoid stagnation.

Mentioned in this story

RavensEric DeCostaSteve Bisciotti

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Baltimore is mindful of becoming too predictable in its draft approach, especially as former staff members across the league become familiar with the organization's tendencies.

DeCosta emphasized the importance of staying flexible and open to new ideas from within the building.

"I feel that sometimes. I think if they're picking right around us, then I'm probably more concerned with it. We all know good football players, right? And I think the other thing is [that] I don't want to be too predictable. I think that's something I've learned from [owner] Steve [Bisciotti] that we've talked about is that you don't want to be typecasted as looking for certain types of players or doing something every single draft or whatever that might be. But I think every situation is different. I respect all those guys very much. They've all been a huge part of what we do, but I'm also excited that we have some new people here that have new ideas, and they're smart, and they're aggressive and curious and different things. I think that gives us advantages, and I think that one of the things that I try to [do] is challenge myself to be curious about new ways of doing things. Are there different approaches that might work better and not necessarily doing the same things every year. I have to remind myself of that, because it's easy to get caught in the old ways of doing things, but I'm also proud that we've been able to, I think, advance ourselves in different ways. Whether it's the way that we scout or get background information or the use of analytics and different things. I'm proud of that. And I think that our guys have done a really good job being flexible and adapting."

DeCosta pointed to internal evolution and staff turnover as factors that help Baltimore avoid stagnation in its draft process while continuing to refine its evaluation methods.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Eric DeCosta welcomes fresh draft ideas from new staff

Q&A

What did Eric DeCosta say about the Ravens' draft strategy?

Eric DeCosta mentioned that the Ravens are focused on avoiding predictability in their draft approach and are open to new ideas to enhance their strategy.

How does staff turnover affect the Ravens' draft process?

DeCosta indicated that staff turnover contributes to the team's ability to avoid stagnation and encourages the refinement of their evaluation methods.

Why is flexibility important for the Ravens in the draft?

Flexibility is crucial for the Ravens to adapt to changing circumstances and to prevent being typecast in their drafting tendencies, according to DeCosta.