Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is the draft's top pass rusher, but his ability to play in a 3-4 scheme is an unknown. A knee injury has made UCLA inside linebacker Myles Jack a high-risk, high-reward proposition. Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner is a physical specimen but not the polished pass rusher the Ravens covet.

The Ravens need a cornerback, but some evaluators believe Florida State's Jalen Ramsey is an NFL safety and that Florida's Vernon Hargreaves lacks the prototypical size and speed on the outside.

“I think it's six of one, half-dozen of the other,” longtime draft evaluator Gil Brandt said of the Ravens' options. “Whoever they get, they are going to get a quality player.”

The Ravens' decision Thursday will hinge on how the three picks ahead of them unfold, after the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles likely take quarterbacks with the first two picks. The potential availability of Mississippi left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was considered the likely first overall pick just two weeks ago, adds another wrinkle to the Ravens' decision-making.

All along, the Ravens have been expected to use their first pick on their defense, which is thin on pass rushers and cornerbacks, and is without a starting inside linebacker after Daryl Smith's exit.

“I think they've lost a little bit of their identity on the defensive side of the ball, and the best way to get that back is to invest in the front seven and just kind of double down there,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former Ravens scout. “They've got some good players on that front, but they need more blue-chip, difference-making players in the front seven.”

Ravens officials, predictably, haven't tipped their hand in the predraft process. The closest anyone came to saying the team is leaning toward drafting a defensive player first was when assistant general manager Eric DeCosta joked that scenario would get the better odds in Las Vegas.

“There are probably five or six really elite defensive players when we're picking,” DeCosta said. “There's a lot of good defensive talent in the top 10 in this draft. Saying that, we think there are a couple of elite left tackles in this draft, too. We're going to draft the best guy regardless, because as we've often said, your needs can change week to week.”

Externally, there is no consensus on which defensive player fits the Ravens best. Jeremiah believes Buckner's size (6 feet 7, 291 pounds) and skill set translate well to a team that loves big, athletic defensive linemen and did not pick up Chris Canty's 2016 option this offseason.

Ideally suited as a 3-4 defensive end, Buckner could slide into Canty's spot immediately and give the Ravens another imposing run stuffer and interior pass rusher alongside Timmy Jernigan. But the Ravens are well stocked along the line, and at least one prominent draft analyst doesn't believe Buckner's pass-rush skills will be as effective at the next level. Buckner had 101/2 sacks and 17 tackles for loss for the Ducks last season.

“He's not a consistently dominant player — doesn't always play to the level of his talent, I didn't think,” ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.?said. “But when you have the length, you have the huge hands and you flash like he does, you're going to go in the top 10. I just didn't see him finish some plays. I thought he got away with some sacks in college that he won't get in the NFL. Buckner is a hard one for me to really go definitive and say he's going to be a really great player. I don't see that right now.”

Kiper, meanwhile, raved about Bosa, saying the defensive end knows “every trick in the book.” Bosa terrorized offensive tackles and had 26 sacks and 51 tackles for loss over three college seasons despite regular double teams. He has the intangibles — effort, work ethic, toughness — the Ravens love, and would give the team another pass-rushing threat with Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil and Za'Darius Smith.

But Bosa also likely would have to learn a new defensive scheme and adapt to dropping in coverage. He acknowledged at the NFL scouting combine that it would be an adjustment after having played in 4-3 defenses through his career. Ravens director of college scouting Joe Hortiz said Bosa is plenty athletic to make the transition, but questions remain.

“They would have to modify the 3-4 to make him a fit,” said Phil Savage, a former Ravens and Cleveland Browns executive who is the executive director of the Senior Bowl. “It would be a little bit of a square peg in a round hole, but it could be done.”

When Savage reviews the Ravens defense, he sees a need for more speed in the middle of the field, which is why he said drafting Jack, to play alongside C.J. Mosley, would be the most logical move. The former UCLA standout was athletic and explosive enough to play running back in college.

DeCosta said Jack can cover “as well as most guys you'll ever see at the linebacker position.” With his blitzing ability and versatility outside, he's an intriguing package for the Ravens to consider. But Jack's right knee reportedly has made some teams leery. He had surgery in September and didn't run for teams in the predraft process.

“There's some concern long term about his knee, and it could require another surgery if something happens with the cartilage, but it's probable he's going to be fine for a while,” ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said. “If you're looking for a reason not to draft him, that becomes one.”

Ramsey is a player the Ravens have eyed for a while, although it's doubtful he'll still be on the board at No. 6. A top-notch athlete, the former Seminole has the size (6-1, 209 pounds), speed and physicality to transition seamlessly to the NFL. But there are evaluators who question why he had just five interceptions in three college seasons, and wonder whether his versatility at Florida State could work against him.

“Jalen basically played three positions during his time at Florida State. He's played the slot. He's played the safety type of position, and then he played outside the numbers as a base corner. He has shown the ability to play good football at all three, but he hasn't been able to master any of them,” said Louis Riddick, a front-office insider for ESPN. “He's also showed deficiencies in them. I think there's a lot of uncertainty with what you're going to get from this player at the NFL level.”

Riddick predicted Ramsey would struggle with smaller and quicker receivers in the NFL. Hargreaves, the former Florida standout, actually is considered the better pure cover corner. But he is just 5-10 and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. Neither is ideal, although the Ravens expressed no such concerns.

“I don't think he's an elite corner,” Kiper said of Hargreaves. “I think he's a No. 2 corner.”

Still, like Ramsey, Jack, Bosa and Buckner, Hargreaves would have a good chance of starting immediately. All are near-locks to be taken within the first 10 picks. Now the Ravens just have to wait and see who will be available and decide on the best fit.

jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com

twitter.com/jeffzrebiecsun