Ravens make 1st-round swap, select Oklahoma receiver Brown

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Baltimore Ravens rookie general manager Eric DeCosta waited his entire life to make a selection in the NFL draft, so delaying the moment for a few extra minutes wasn’t much of a hardship.

When the wait was over, DeCosta selected wide receiver Marquise Brown of Oklahoma.

And by trading the 22nd overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night, DeCosta netted a couple of extra draft choices and still was in position to select Brown.

After waiting 2½ hours to get on the clock, DeCosta swapped his first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 25th overall selection, along with a fourth- and sixth-round choice.

Then he took Brown, the cousin of NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown. A standout in his own right, Marquise Brown scored 17 touchdowns in two years with the Sooners and had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons.

He fills a need for Baltimore after the offseason departure of wideouts John Brown and Michael Crabtree.

DeCosta replaced Ozzie Newsome, who had the final say in every Ravens draft since the team moved from Cleveland in 1996. After working closely with Newsome for more than two decades, DeCosta took over in January. He had Newsome as an adviser over the past few weeks and Newsome was in the draft room when it came time for Baltimore to make its pick.

Stealing a page from his predecessor, DeCosta chose to stockpile picks for the later rounds. As it stands now, the Ravens have two selections in the third round, three in the fourth, one fifth-rounder and a trio of sixth-round choices.

DeCosta has been busy since making the jump from assistant GM. To counter for the loss of linebackers Terrell Suggs, C.J. Mosley and Za’Darius Smith through free agency, DeCosta signed running back Mark Ingram and safety Earl Thomas, negotiated contract extensions to cornerback Tavon Young, tight end Nick Boyle, kicker Justin Turner and guard Marshal Yanda.

He also signed quarterback Robert Griffin III to a two-year deal that keeps him as a backup to Lamar Jackson.

Drafted with the 32nd overall pick last year, Jackson stepped in for an injured Joe Flacco in mid-November and led the Ravens to the AFC North title. Newsome gave up a 2019 second-round pick to Philadelphia to get Jackson, so Baltimore’s next selection isn’t slated to come until the third round at 85th overall.

DeCosta came into the draft looking to find a wide receiver, a pass rusher and an inside offensive lineman. He checked one off that list by taking Brown, a 5-foot-10, 168-pounder who averaged 18.3 yards per catch at Oklahoma.