Clifton Brown

A popular word heading into tonight's NFL Draft is "unpredictable."

Longtime draft analysts are receiving conflicting intel on where top prospects will land, and several potential trades could shake things up even more.

Just hours before the draft begins, here are 10 last-minute thoughts as the Ravens prepare to go on the clock at No. 27:

Odds still favor the Ravens taking a defensive player in Round 1.

Baltimore appears most likely to take a player at one of these positions defensive line, edge rusher, safety, or cornerback. Names to watch includesafety Malaki Starks (Georgia), defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (Oregon), safety Nick Emmanwori (Texas A&M), edge rusher Mykel Williams (Georgia), and cornerback Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky). All of them may not be available at No. 27, but at least one or two should be.

There's a new defensive player to keep an eye on for Baltimore.

NFL Network Daniel Jeremiah threw a surprise defensive player into the mix for Baltimorein his final mock draftMichigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. Jeremiah is a former Ravens scout and has nailed their first-round pick before (Nate Wiggins last year and Odafe Oweh in 2021). Grant becomes a more interesting name to watch.

An offensive lineman in Round 1 would be a surprise, but not a shock.

Peter Schreger of ESPN has mocked Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmonsto Baltimore. Would the Ravens spend a first-round pick on an offensive tackle after re-signing Ronnie Stanley? Reports say Simmons is recovering nicely from last year's knee injury, but there is debate about whether Simmons will go in Round 1 or 2. Simmons played both right tackle and left tackle in college, and he'll be an interesting option for the Ravens if he's still on the board when they pick. If the Ravens target a guard, the two most often mocked to them are Tyler Booker (Alabama) or Donovan Jackson (Ohio State).

If the Ravens make a trade at No. 27, it's more likely they'll move down, not up.

The Ravens have a history of trusting their board and letting a player they covet fall to them. They made the bold move in 2018 to trade up into the first round to take Lamar Jackson, but they now have their franchise quarterback and one of the league's strongest rosters. If they make a first-round trade, it will likely be a trade back to acquire more draft capital now, or in the future. General Manager Eric DeCosta loves stockpiling picks.

A first-round run on edge rushers is possible.

Some draft experts think as many as seven edge rushers could go in Round 1. That couldmake the Ravens more inclined to take Donovan Ezeiruakuof Boston College if he's still on the board at No. 27. Ezeiruaku had 16.5 sacks last year, was a team captain, and he was college teammates with Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers.

Malaki Starks seems to check a lot of boxes for Baltimore.

Starks played more than 500 snaps for Georgia as a slot corner, in addition to more than 1,500 snaps at safety. His versatility seems tailor-made for what the Ravens do defensively, and his talents could mesh with All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. That's another reason why so many pundits remain high on Starks as Baltimore's first-round pick.Hes the most popular mock pick heading into the draft.

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Two AFC rivals are candidates to trade up ahead of Baltimore.

Keep an eye on the Buffalo Bills at No. 30 and the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 31, who might want to trade up ahead of Baltimore. Starks could be high on the Bills' wish list. Chad Reuter of NFL.com suggestedthe Bills might trade up to No. 24 with Vikings, who only have four draft picks. The Chiefs may want to trade up to grab Simmons or another top offensive lineman.

Watch the cornerbacks, because the Ravens are shopping.

DeCosta said, "Ifeel pretty sure thatwell take at least one corner in the draft."It could happen in Round 1, and the draft stock of East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. is rising. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote several teams have indicatedthat Revel could go late in Round 1. Revel's forte is press man coverage, and a Ravens corner rotation that includes Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, and Revel could be very sticky.

A team needing a quarterback could trade up ahead of Baltimore.

Some teams are calling the Denver Broncos about trading up to No. 20, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. They want to get ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are at No. 21 and might be targeting a quarterback. Jeremiah and Schrager have Shedeur Sanders going to Pittsburgh.

Round 1 is critical for Baltimore's AFC North rivals.

The Ravens are the off-season favorite to win the AFC North for a third straight year. The Cleveland Browns (No. 2 overall pick), Cincinnati Bengals (No. 17), and Steelers want to land a first-round pick who helps them close the gap.