Flacco Hopes Adjustment To NFL Is Not a Tall Tale

OWINGS MILLS, Md., April 27 -- For all of the questions that surround the Baltimore Ravens quarterback of the future, there is one thing that cannot be questioned: Joe Flacco is tall. That much was apparent as soon as the former Delaware quarterback, who is listed at 6 feet 7, walked into his introductory news conference Sunday afternoon.

He towered over the rest of his family -- he even joked his father says his height comes from the milkman -- and stood taller than General Manager Ozzie Newsome, Coach John Harbaugh, and director of college scouting Eric DeCosta as they posed together for the obligatory jersey presentation picture.

"Those guys are hard to find. Big, tall people that are quick and explosive don't come around every day," offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said of the 18th overall pick. "In our system, we like our quarterback to have nimble feet, have an explosive arm, be quick with the football -- obviously we think Joe has that."

The Ravens had nine picks at the start of the draft's second day, but they traded one of their fourth-round selections (125th overall) to Oakland in return for cornerback Fabian Washington, a former first-round pick. Washington was arrested in February on a domestic battery charge, but he learned earlier this week he will avoid prosecution if he completes a program for first-time offenders.

Baltimore was looking to add some depth behind Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle, both of whom were unable to play much of last season, and Washington is a veteran who has made 28 starts in his three-year career. Said Newsome, "We didn't feel like there was any other player [in the latter rounds of the draft] that was comparable to Fabian."

Texas-El Paso guard Oniel Cousins (third round, 99th overall) and Weber State tackle David Hale (fourth round, 133rd) -- both of whom were described as "nasty" by DeCosta -- will help shore up a line that probably is losing left tackle Jonathan Ogden to retirement. With their first two third-round selections (71st and 86th), the Ravens took Miami linebacker Tavares Gooden and Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski, who also moonlights as a boxer.

"We talked about getting bigger and faster in this draft, and both of those players [Gooden and Zbikowski] have allowed us to do it," Newsome said. "Those were areas where we got hit pretty hard last year, and we ended up taking guys off of the practice squad, taking guys off the street. We feel like we've added some real good depth, and over the course of the next three or four years, guys that could become starters for us."

Baltimore also added New Mexico wide receiver Marcus Smith (106th overall) in the fourth round, Cincinnati safety Haruki Nakamura in the sixth (206th overall) and Virginia Tech wide receiver Justin Harper (215th) and Oklahoma running back Allen Patrick (240th) in the seventh. Its other first-day selection was Rutgers running back Ray Rice, chosen 55th overall.

But this draft will be remembered most for the Ravens' maneuvering down and up to take Flacco, who excelled in college, but not at the highest level. He is the first quarterback from what was formerly known as division I-AA to be taken in the first round since the recently retired Steve McNair (who was drafted third overall in 1995). Flacco's selection also marks the first time the Ravens used a first- or second-round pick on a player who did not come from a power conference school.

"I still carry it with me that I'm a I-AA guy, and I had to go down to the minor leagues of college football and prove who I was," said Flacco, who transferred to Delaware from Pittsburgh. "I'm going to carry that with me for the rest of my life and hopefully use it for the best."

Flacco readily admits jumping to the NFL from Delaware -- where he played against teams like Towson and Monmouth, in front of crowds that averaged 18,400 -- will be an adjustment. But he is also quick to say, "I'm just as prepared as anybody else." He played primarily in the shotgun with the Blue Hens and is confident he will be just as capable under center.

Said Cameron: "Our offense has evolved to where it's almost going to be 50-50 underneath the center and shotgun. We're really looking for a guy that can function in the shotgun. He's a perfect fit for what we want to do. . . . Here's a guy that has a gift to throw the football, he has a gift to throw it quickly and actively. I think he sees it from a little different vantage point."

So far, Flacco seems comfortable with his role as the Ravens' top pick. He offered to drive himself from his family's house in Audubon, N.J., down to Owings Mills on Sunday; the Ravens sent a black Lincoln Navigator to pick him up, along with his parents, girlfriend and three of his five younger siblings. It was an enjoyable ride, according to his mother, Karen. "We're still kind of up in the clouds a little bit," she said.

But the competition to be the Ravens' starting quarterback will be starting soon enough; Baltimore's mandatory minicamp begins May 9. Flacco feels he could be ready to start this season.

"I'm anxious to get in here and start learning, and I want to get out there on the field and prove that I can," Flacco said. "It's going to be up to the coaches to make that final decision, but it's going to be up to me to prove that I'm ready."