The Baltimore Ravens hold the No. 26 pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Over a span of two weeks, the Ravens blog will take a quick look at 10 prospects who might be available and be a fit for Baltimore at that spot. We continue the second week with a red-flagged cornerback prospect:
Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Chances he's available at No. 26: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both expect Peters to be there, based on their latest mock drafts. But there are no guarantees. Four teams just in front of the Ravens -- the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 20), Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 22), Detroit Lions (No. 23) and Carolina Panthers (No. 25) -- all have a need at cornerback and might consider Peters.
Why he'd be a good pick for the Ravens: The lack of quality depth at cornerback proved to be the Ravens' downfall last season, and Peters is considered by many as the most talented cornerback in this draft based purely on game film. He has the size to match up with bigger receivers. He has the strength to play press coverage. And he has natural playmaking instincts, which is big for a Ravens secondary that totaled just six interceptions last season. It wouldn't be out of the question to plug Peters in at nickelback immediately and groom him to become a starter in 2016.
Why he wouldn't: Behavioral issues are the biggest reasons why Peters won't be a top-10 pick, and they could steer the Ravens away from him. The Ravens brought in Peters for a pre-draft visit, which could determine the Ravens' comfort level with him. With eight players arrested the last two offseasons, the Ravens can't afford investing a first-round pick on a player who is a major character question mark. In 2011, Peters openly admitted to failing a drug test. In 2013, he was suspended for a quarter of a bowl game because of an academic issue. In 2014, he was suspended for a game after arguing with coaches on the sideline and was kicked off the team after missing a practice. Peters has since taken responsibility for a lack of maturity.
Stat to note: Peters missed just one tackle against the run all year but he missed seven on passing plays, according to Pro Football Focus.
Extra point: In February, Kevin Weidl of Scouts Inc. ranked Peters as the No. 1 cornerback in this year's draft class.