OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A year after setting the NFL’s single-season rushing record, the Baltimore Ravens used a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft on Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said he wanted to use the draft to make the offense “undefendable,” and he took a step in that direction by teaming one of the draft’s best running backs with NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
Dobbins ran for 2,003 yards in 2019, the most in Ohio State history. He is one of four running backs with 1,000 yards rushing in each of the past three seasons (Zack Moss, Jonathan Taylor, AJ Dillon were the others).
The selection of Dobbins could come as a surprise because Baltimore established a new league mark with 3,296 yards rushing. But Pro Bowl running back Mark Ingram turned 30 in December and backup Gus Edwards is a free agent next offseason. When Ingram was injured late in the season, Baltimore struggled to run the ball in a playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans, getting 42 rushing yards from its running backs.
Dobbins was the fifth running back selected in the 2020 draft at No. 55.
“I was definitely surprised when I got the call,” Dobbins said, acknowledging he didn’t think he would drafted by the Ravens. “It was a longer wait than I expected.”
This marks the first time the Ravens have drafted a running back in the first two rounds since Ray Rice in 2008.