Brian Baldinger: 'These Undrafted Guys in Baltimore are Crazy Good'

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Photo credit © Tommy Gilligan - USA Today Sports

By Joe Schiller

The Ravens will pay their two projected starting linebackers a combined $3.6 million in 2019.

It seems like nothing after C.J. Mosley inked a five-year, $85 million deal with the New York Jets this offseason after five standout seasons in Baltimore. But the Ravens have expressed confidence in Patrick Onwuasor and Chris Board, and their track record with undrafted linebackers proves that. 

Onwuasor totaled 59 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and forced two fumbles in 2018. NFL Network's Brian Baldinger broke down Onwuasor's Week 1 preseason performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in his "Baldy Breakdowns" on Twitter. 

.@ravens #PatrickPeanutOnwuasor is the next man up continuing a streak of great MIKE LBer play. He is like a Hoover Vacuum cleaning up tackles. So active, so productive. The @NFL has to get to know Peanut. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/B9Uf1TBrm1

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 12, 2019

Most of the first-team defense sat in the Ravens' 29-0 shutout win, but Onwuasor didn't. He tallied four tackles and found the football wherever he was on the field.

Baldinger was left impressed with the former undrafted linebackers. 

“These undrafted guys in Baltimore are crazy good, crazy good," Baldinger said. "We've got to start talking about them, a lot." 

Onwuasor is expected to be the MIKE (middle) linebacker, transitioning from the weakside to fill Mosley's departure while Board is expected to take over the WILL (weakside) linebacker spot. The Ravens finished as the No. 1 overall defense in 2018, and just 82.9 rushing yards per game. 

The Ravens have had tremendous success funneling through undrafted linebackers over the years and the entire defensive group as a whole is solid. Onwuasor and Board may be one of the lesser-known starting linebacker duos in the NFL, but they could turn some heads this season.