All week the Baltimore Ravens blog will look back and grade the past five drafts. Let's continue with 2012:
Only half of this draft class remains on the roster three years later, which is a disappointment. But you can't overlook the immediate impact of this group.
Both of the Ravens' second-round picks, linebacker Courtney Upshaw and guard Kelechi Osemele, started the Super Bowl as rookies. The third pick of this class, running back Bernard Pierce, was a key contributor in the playoffs when Ray Rice wasn't at his best.
The Ravens, though, had bigger hopes for this class. Pierce never developed into Rice's replacement, and center Gino Gradkowski (fourth round) failed to fill the void of Matt Birk. The biggest miss was safety Christian Thompson, a fourth-round pick who was cut after one season and immediately following a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Second round: OLB Courtney Upshaw. He came to the Ravens with the reputation of being a pass-rusher, but he carved his niche as a physical edge-setter against the run. Upshaw does a lot of the dirty work on the Ravens' defense, and he's started 36 games over three seasons. The Ravens were hoping to get more than three sacks out of him by this point. Ravens fans will always remember him for his vicious shot on Ben Roethlisberger last season. Grade: B.
Second round: G Kelechi Osemele. He's the prize of this draft class. Osemele has teamed with Marshal Yanda to form one of the best guard tandems in the NFL. Osemele's importance was underscored in 2013, when the offensive line struggled after he had season-ending back surgery. He is on the verge of being a Pro Bowl player. Grade: A-minus.
Third round: RB Bernard Pierce. This is a tricky evaluation. The Ravens might not have reached the Super Bowl if not for Pierce gaining 103 yards in the wild-card win against the Colts and adding 52 yards rushing in the AFC Championship game victory against the Patriots. But he failed to crack four yards per carry over the next two seasons and he was released this offseason after an embarrassing drunken-driving arrest. The Ravens gave Pierce the first shot at replacing Rice last season, and he dropped the ball. Grade: C-minus.
Fourth round: C Gino Gradkowski. He started one season (2013) and he was the worst center in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. His lack of size allowed him to get pushed back at the point of attack, and he didn't consistently recognize blitzes up the middle. Grade: D.
Fourth round: S Christian Thompson. It's telling that the Ravens parted ways so quickly with Thompson, because Baltimore typically doesn't cut draft picks a year after being selected in the first four rounds. The sixth safety taken that year, Thompson failed to record a tackle on defense or special teams in seven games played. Grade: F.
Fifth round: CB Asa Jackson. His grade would go up if he could develop into a dependable nickelback. But injuries, inconsistent tackling and a couple of suspensions have produced an underwhelming three seasons. Grade: C.
Sixth round: WR Tommy Streeter. He was an intriguing prospect who was drafted based on his height (6-foot-5) and fast time in the 40 at the NFL combine. Too many drops during the offseason and summer led to him being the first cut of this draft class. Grade: F.
Seventh round: DE DeAngelo Tyson. He has played an important role in the Ravens' defensive line rotation at times throughout his career, and he has made six starts, which is impressive for any late-round pick. Tyson showed his athleticism by making an interception on a "Monday Night Football" game in Detroit two years ago. He slipped on the depth chart last season after the Ravens drafted Timmy Jernigan and signed Lawrence Guy, but he provides good depth up front. Grade: B.
Overall grade for Ravens' 2012 draft: C.
