The Ravens drafted Michigan linebacker David Ojabo in the second round and Alabama cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis in the fourth round, and as Baltimore opens rookie minicamp, head coach John Harbaugh says those players already know what to expect at the next level.
Harbaugh said he likes coaching rookies from top college programs because they arrive in the NFL ready to go.
“There are certain college football programs that are built like NFL programs,” Harbaugh said. “Alabama is one, Michigan is the other one. The two top ones, I would say. Those are the ones I’m thinking of off the top of my head. So those guys generally come in and they know what to expect. It’s a little flatter for those guys in terms of practice and understanding how it works.”
Alabama has proven during the Nick Saban era to be the best program in college football, both at winning national championships and at producing NFL players. Harbaugh may be a bit biased in putting Michigan at Alabama’s level, as Harbaugh’s brother Jim Harbaugh is Michigan’s head coach, but the point stands that Harbaugh likes having rookies who are up to speed from Day One.
