Patrick Queen To Offset Inexperience With Study

Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Patrick Queen hasn’t had an easy road towards the NFL.

The 28th draft pick arguably should not be in the NFL yet, if you are going by his college record. Patrick Queen was not a starter for LSU throughout the first four weeks of last season.

However, as so often happens, injury handed him an opportunity. He went on to earn Defensive MVP honors in the national title game against Clemson. 

With only 16 career starts, Patrick Queen is by far the most inexperienced defender in the 2020 NFL draft. Despite this, he has the backing of the Ravens organization.

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“He’s not an entitled guy,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said. 

“This is a guy that didn’t start for most of his career at LSU. And so, I think this transition to the NFL, that’s going to help him, I think, because it’s a difference coming up to this level of football, with really good players at every single position. It could be a challenge for some guys, and I think Patrick has kind of already undergone that challenge in some respects and he’s thrived.”

Queen himself isn’t faced by his lack of experience, saying that he can make up for it with study. 

“I don’t really look at it as a big deal, anything can be fixed with studying,” Queen said.

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“I’m a student of the game and I plan on asking for a lot of tips, a lot of pointers from those guys that have been there for a long time. I’m going to come in and really just be the best player that I can be.”

“With a guy like Patrick, there’s not a rawness to his game,” director of player personnel Joe Hortiz said. 

“When you take a guy who’s maybe not polished, then you’re having to project that the coaching, and the player’s ability to process and learn, and develop the specifics of the position — then you’re having to project more. With a guy like Patrick, you’re just projecting that he’s going to be even better. Like, next year he’d be a top-10 pick or a top-15 pick versus a top-28 pick.”