Ravens Take LB Mosley With 17th Overall Pick
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP/WJZ) -- The Baltimore Ravens have selected Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley with the 17th overall pick in the NFL draft.
Mark Viviano has reaction from team leaders.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Ravens go with defense with their first draft choice. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is true to his school as he taps his alma mater--Alabama.
C.J. Mosley is the first inside linebacker drafted in the first round by the Ravens since Ray Lewis. Mosley grew up in Alabama as a Ravens fan because he idolized Lewis.
The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Mosley kept his college career at Albama. He won the Butkus Award as the top linebacker in the nation and was the SEC defensive player of the year. He started all 13 games at weak inside linebacker and was Alabama's leading tackler for the second consecutive season.
He now brings his talents to Baltimore.
"Every fan in Baltimore, his teammates and all of us who work for the Ravens are going to be very proud," said Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome. "We worked the phones; there were some calls while we were on the clock. By the time we got to six minutes there were no calls, and we're just elated to have C.J. Mosley as a part of our football team."
"He's a good fit from the standpoint of the position he plays and how he plays the game," said head coach John Harbaugh. "And I think he's a really good fit for our personality as a team and an organization. You're going to love him, you're going to love his work ethic, you're going to love the personality. He's going to be here Monday ready to go to work. I think he's a football player first and foremost and he's really excited to be a Raven."
Baltimore lost linebackers Jameel McClain and Arthur Jones during the offseason.
The Ravens were also looking for a safety, but passed on Calvin Pryor of Louisville and Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
Before the draft, Baltimore lost a coin flip with the Dallas Cowboys, who picked 16th. Dallas took Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin, a player the Ravens coveted at a position they need to fill.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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