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Ravens take Correa in second round

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ASSOCIATED PRESS / FEB. 28

Boise State outside linebacker Kamalei Correa said the only time he spoke to Baltimore was at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. >> The Baltimore Ravens addressed their deficient pass rush and garnered a couple of extra picks during a busy night at the NFL Draft.

General manager Ozzie Newsome pulled off a pair of trades in the second round Friday night before finally taking Boise State linebacker and Saint Louis product Kamalei Correa with the 42nd overall selection.

Newsome followed that up by choosing Brigham Young defensive end Bronson Kaufusi in the third round with the 70th overall pick.

The Ravens hope both players will improve a defense that had difficulty getting to the quarterback last season.

Correa, who is 6 feet 3, 243 pounds with 4.69 speed, had 12 sacks as a sophomore and entered the draft after a junior year in which he had seven sacks.

“I know one day that I will be a great one,” said Correa, who never missed a game during his three-year college career. “I am just going to keep working until I am.”

The Ravens went 5-11 in 2015, in part because they registered only 37 sacks — tied for 17th in the NFL. Elvis Dumervil led the team with six sacks, down from 17 one year earlier, and franchise career sack leader Terrell Suggs was lost after tearing his Achilles tendon in the opening game.

Correa hopes to learn from the two veteran linebackers.

“I’m extremely excited. I’ve been watching these guys since I was in middle school,” Correa said.

The selection came after Baltimore twice moved back in the second round. The Ravens were slotted 36th overall, but Newsome made deals with Jacksonville and Miami for additional picks.

Correa told ESPN he was surprised to get drafted by the Ravens. He said he spoke to Ravens officials only once in the pre-draft process and that was at the NFL Combine in February. Correa was asked what NFL team he rooted for. “I always was a Green Bay Packers fan,” Correa said. “But since April 29, that has changed. I’m a Raven for the rest of my life.”

Correa said he estimated that he played 80 percent of his snaps in college with his hand in the dirt and was asked about transitioning to being a 3-4 outside linebacker.

Correa says it won’t be difficult because of his work ethic. He said he tried to pattern his game after Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.

“He can move within a defensive scheme,” Correa said. “He can do multiple things and not just get set on one thing. That’s what I can bring to a team as well.”

Correa was the second Hawaii player selected in the NFL Draft. On Thursday, Oregon and Punahou alum DeForest Buckner was chosen No. 7 by the San Francisco 49ers. Having two Hawaii high school products drafted among the top 42 represents the best ever for the state. Last year, Marcus Mariota was picked No. 2 and Hauoli Kikaha No. 44. Another Hawaii product — UCLA kicker and Punahou alum Kaimi Fairbairn — could be selected today.

Earlier Friday, the Ravens introduced their top draft pick, Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, taken sixth overall.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Stanley said he wants to follow in the footsteps of Hall of Fame tackle Jonathan Ogden, who was taken in the first round by Baltimore in 1996.

“I definitely look at that and say that’s what I want to be,” he said.

2 responses to “Ravens take Correa in second round”

  1. Bdpapa says:

    Was kinda hoping he’d go to the Titans!

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