2022 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens Fill a Need With Mammoth Offensive Tackle

The Ravens came into the 2022 NFL Draft with a need at tackle, and they fill it with Minnesota Gophers Daniel Faalele.

Mammoth is a perfect way to describe Daniel Faalele. He measured in at 6-foot-8 and 384-pounds with an 85-inch wingspan.

The Ravens needed to fill some holes on their offensive line, and adding prospects Tyler Linderbaum and Faalele to the mix bodes nicely for their future. Faalele should fill in as a swing-tackle type of role early on in his career and with future development, should step in as a starter in some capacity. 

For a guy of his size, Faalele has impressive vertical and lateral movement as a run blocker to block in a north/south manner or pull laterally. He has the type of power to throw guys off him.

"One day I'd like to play like him [Orlando Brown], he's football intelligent," Faalele said. "He uses his strength to his advantage."

"He talked about how he coached Orlando Brown before, gave me that confidence," Faalele said. "I had a feeling that we would be a good fit. I'm glad it worked out. I feel like I'm in good hands."

"I'm super-excited, Rashod was actually my roommate my sophomore through junior year," Faalele said. "Excited to reconnect with him and be on the same team. We have a good relationship."

"Making that decision (to sit out), it wasn't easy," Faalele said. "I played a lot of football with the offensive line guys and felt I was letting them down. I didn't want them to feel like I wasn't doing anything. So I decided to lose a lot of weight, I went from 410 to 380. That just helped me to come back in better shape, be able to play longer at my best."

"Being new to football gives me an advantage," Faalele said. "I have less bad habits I feel like. Whatever I'm taught from here on is what I know. I feel like the right coaching, like Coach D, getting his professional coaching can bring out the best in me."

INTERVIEW QUOTES FROM THE SCOUTING COMBINE

"I feel like I'm a good teammate. As far as football, playing powerful, strong, using my size to my advantage. Seeing Jordan Mailata and what he's done in the league is definitely inspiring. Just seeing how he plays is motivational and his story, kind of similar story. I get inspiration from him."

The biggest challenge is always pad level. I can always get lower. That's something I've worked on throughout my career."

"I was playing club basketball in Melbourne, Australia. University of Hawaii coaches came to my workout to look at other prospects. They saw me there, offered me, then they explained what an offer was, what a full-ride scholarship was. Learn football, learn a new game. That's what sold me to get more interested in football. From there I got in contact with more college coaches. Just wanted to see where football could take me. Michigan had a satellite camp in Melbourne and they were able to connect me with IMG coaches. From there just got the ball rolling and moved to Florida when I was 16 and been here ever since."

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