Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti ruled out the team selecting a defensive tackle in the first round of the NFL draft.
He didn't say anything about picking someone who can play all the other positions on defense.
The Ravens desperately need offensive playmakers, but Baltimore would be hard-pressed to pass on Florida State's Derwin James if he surprisingly fell to the No. 16 overall pick.
Ravens defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale was in Tallahassee, Florida, on Tuesday to watch James' pro day and get an up-close look at one of the draft's most exciting talents. James, who is considered the second-best safety in the draft, has the tackling ability to play inside linebacker, the explosiveness to line up as an edge rusher and the coverage skills to serve as a slot corner.
"James is one of the most versatile players we've ever evaluated," ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said.
The Ravens likely would line up James at inside linebacker. Baltimore has been trying to find a weakside linebacker next to Pro Bowl middle linebacker C.J. Mosley for the past couple of seasons, since Zachary Orr retired.
The chances of James falling to the middle of the first round appear slim, if the latest mock drafts are correct. He is expected go in the first dozen picks, having been linked to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at No. 7), San Francisco 49ers (No. 9), Oakland Raiders (No. 10) and Miami Dolphins (No. 11).
Even James himself would be shocked if he was available when the Ravens are on the clock.
"I know I’m going to go top 10," James said at the combine. "I’m confident through the whole process, but like I said, there’s a lot of mock drafts, people have their own opinion. But at the end of the day, nobody knows who’s picking who."
At Florida State, James had a stellar freshman season in 2015 (91 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles), before having his sophomore season end after two games because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. He came back healthy to produce a strong junior season with 84 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions.
James declared for the draft and then crushed the combine. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds (ninth best among combine safeties), recorded a 40-inch vertical jump (sixth best of all defensive backs) and delivered an 11-foot broad jump (fifth best among defensive backs).
He's just as impressive with the intangibles. James is a natural leader who will impact the locker room, even as a rookie.
Martindale and officials for the other 30 teams (the Kansas City Chiefs were the only ones who didn't show) didn't see much from James on Tuesday. He surprisingly didn't do any position skills, on the advice of his agent, and participated in only the three-cone drill and the shuttle run.
"I’ve proved everything I can prove," James told reporters. He added that if a team wants "to see a private workout, I can do that."
The Ravens' preference would likely be to take an impact offensive player, such as a wide receiver or pass-catching tight end. But Baltimore isn't going to reach to improve the supporting cast around quarterback Joe Flacco and help the NFL's No. 27 offense.
If a dynamic talent like James is available, the Ravens probably wouldn't hesitate to draft a defensive player for the fifth time in the last seven years in which they had a first-round draft pick. James has the talent and leadership to take a very good defense and make it a great one.
