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Jamison Hensley
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens normal supervisor Eric DeCosta defended deciding on Marshall edge rusher Mike Inexperienced within the second spherical of the NFL draft Friday, saying they took him with the No. 59 choose after investigating two sexual assault allegations in his previous.
On the NFL mix in February, Inexperienced mentioned that he was accused of sexual assault at Virginia, resulting in his switch to Marshall, and that he had confronted one other sexual assault allegation in highschool. Inexperienced was by no means charged and insisted he did nothing flawed.
On Friday, DeCosta mentioned the staff appeared into the allegations “very completely.” The Ravens’ scouts spoke to individuals at Virginia and Marshall. DeCosta additionally met with Inexperienced for 90 minutes throughout a predraft go to to Baltimore.
“We perceive the severity of what these allegations have been, in fact,” DeCosta mentioned. “However doing our due diligence, we’re comfy with Mike. I feel the very best is but to come back with him, and I am glad we received him.”
Inexperienced, the FBS sacks chief with 17 final season, fell to the underside of the second spherical after being rated because the 18th-best prospect by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. There was lower than a 1% likelihood that Inexperienced can be out there at No. 59, in keeping with ESPN’s Draft Day Predictor.
When Inexperienced was chosen, he broke down in tears throughout a tv broadcast of his draft occasion. Inexperienced was not made out there to reporters Friday.
“We received as a lot info as we might,” DeCosta mentioned. “We thought-about the info, we thought-about the allegations. We thought-about what the stories truly have been and what they really weren’t, and we made the choice based mostly off of that.”
The drafting of Inexperienced comes because the NFL is investigating Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for sexual misconduct. Tucker has been accused of inappropriate habits by 16 therapeutic massage therapists, in keeping with the Baltimore Banner. Tucker has twice publicly disputed the allegations.
Requested if Tucker’s state of affairs factored into the choice to draft Inexperienced, DeCosta mentioned, “We take a look at them individually and we do as a lot homework as we are able to. And particularly to Mike and Mike’s case, I really feel like we did job speaking to as many individuals as attainable. We talked to Mike at size, we did our personal form of work behind the scenes all of the various things and we felt comfy taking him.”
