The NFL awarded the Ravens three compensatory draft selections Friday, leaving the team with nine total picks in April's draft.

As a result of their free-agent losses last offseason, the Ravens received two extra picks in the fourth round (132nd and 134th overall) and one in the sixth round (209th overall). The NFL normally awards the compensatory picks at the owners meetings later in March, but the league made the announcement Friday afternoon.

With the new selections, the team will have one pick in each of the first, second and third rounds, four in the fourth and two in the sixth. Overall, the Ravens have seven of the top 134 picks.

One of their fourth-round picks was acquired from the Denver Broncos in a trade that sent center Gino Gradkowski and the Ravens' 2016 fifth-round selection to the eventual Super Bowl 50 champions. The Ravens don't have a seventh-rounder after trading it to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback Will Davis.

According to league rules, a team losing more, or better, free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory picks. Since 1995, the first year the system was in place, the Ravens have received a league-high 47 compensatory selections, 10 more than the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.

This year marks the fourth in a row in which the Ravens were awarded at least three compensatory selections. The maximum is four.

This year's picks came as a result of the free-agent losses of quarterback Tyrod Taylor (Buffalo Bills), wide receiver Torrey Smith (San Francisco 49ers), tight end Owen Daniels (Broncos), outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (Chicago Bears) and safety Darian Stewart (Broncos).

The only true unrestricted free agent the Ravens signed last offseason was safety Kendrick Lewis. The Ravens had hoped to get four picks this year, but the league apparently deemed that Taylor shouldn't result in one.

In the past, the Ravens have used compensatory picks to select key contributors such as fullbacks Kyle Juszczyk and Le'Ron McClain, tight end Crockett Gillmore, right tackle Rick Wagner, center-guard John Urschel, McPhee, defensive end Brent Urban and punter Sam Koch.

The first round of the NFL draft will be held April 28 in Chicago. Barring a trade, the Ravens will pick sixth overall, their best position since taking running back Jamal Lewis fifth overall in 2000. Rounds two and three will be April 29, with the draft finishing up April 30 with rounds four through seven.

jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com

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