Ravens Get WR Smith, OT Reid On 2nd Day Of Draft
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- Early Friday morning, Ravens scouting director Joe Hortiz ran into head coach John Harbaugh in a stairwell at the team's training complex and made a bold prediction regarding the second day of the NFL draft.
"I told him Torrey Smith is going to be there at 58," Hortiz said.
Harbaugh fully expected the fleet-footed wide receiver from the University of Maryland to be long gone by the time Baltimore was scheduled to make its second-round pick Friday night.
"I was a skeptic," Harbaugh acknowledged. "My comment was, 'No way,' and I might have added a word or two in there, too."
The Ravens got their man, and they couldn't have been happier.
"You saw the celebration when they had Torrey on TV? There was a bigger celebration in our draft room when we got this player," Harbaugh said.
In the third round, Baltimore traded up five notches to get Central Florida offensive tackle Jah Reid with the 85th overall selection. To get him, the Ravens gave Philadelphia their third-round pick (90th overall) and a sixth-rounder (191st overall).
The 6-foot Smith covers 40 yards in a brisk 4.37 seconds and provides the Ravens with a much-needed deep threat. Baltimore already has a solid receiving corps that includes veterans Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason, but no one on the current roster can get downfield as quickly as Smith, who could quickly become a favorite target of quarterback Joe Flacco.
"You look at the receivers we have right now. When you add Torrey to the mix, he can peel the top off the defense," general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "He brings that added dimension to our passing game. Joe has the ability to throw the deep ball, he has the arm strength to do it. We're giving Joe an additional weapon, and that just opens up our passing game — which makes our running game that much better."
Donte' Stallworth was supposed to play that role last year, but he broke his foot before the season started and never really contributed. The Ravens expect Smith to contribute heavily every time he steps onto the field.
"Easy scores. A slip here, and it's a touchdown. That's deflating," Newsome said. "With everything we already have, we just added the 3-point shooter. At any point, the ball gets in his hands, and Billy (Cundiff) is coming out to kick an extra point."
It's hard to determine who was more delighted with the pick — the Ravens or Smith.
"That's like a dream scenario," Smith said. "My mom talked about it. She was like, 'You're going to get drafted by the Ravens. Watch.' She's been saying it for the past week.'"
Because the Maryland campus is only about 45 minutes away, Smith knows all about Baltimore and its fans.
"I feel like I have a handle on the situation," he said. "I understand how the Ravens fans are, I understand how they feel about the Steelers. I've seen it for myself. It's familiar to me. I don't have to worry about moving far, adjusting to a new climate or a new culture. Baltimore is basically home for me, being in College Park."
Besides his speed and play-making ability, the Ravens liked Smith's character. He and his single mother endured plenty of hardships over the past 20 years, yet both maintained their resolve to get the most out of life.
"He fits us. He's our kind of guy," Harbaugh said. "He's our kind of personality, but he's also a player we really want and really need. This guy is what this organization is all about. Talking to his mom today, she told me she can't wait to be part of the Baltimore community. This is a great situation, this is a great player. We're excited to have him."
Smith also returned kickoffs for Maryland and could be a key contributor on special teams.
"He's an explosive playmaker," Hortiz said. "Today we got bigger and faster to add to" Thursday.
The Ravens' first two picks in this draft were Smiths: cornerback Jimmy of Colorado and Torrey. Baltimore broke the pattern by taking Reid, a 6-foot-7, 330-pounder who started every game in his last three seasons at UCF.
The uncertain status of right tackle Jared Gaither, who missed the entire 2010 season with a back injury, made Reid a welcome addition.
"I think he's going to develop fast. This is a guy we all like," Harbaugh said. "He's on the upswing. He'll be competing for the right tackle spot right away, so we'll see where it goes."
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
