2015 NFL depth chart: Ravens find multiple starters in NFL Draft

The AFC North was the most competitive division in football last season -- all four teams were, at one point or another, right in the thick of a playoff race. Towards the end of the season, that number had been whittled down to three teams as the Cleveland Browns fell behind, and said three teams wound up making it into the postseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are all on the cusp of being truly elite, with none of the three rising above the rest thanks to a relatively even playing field within the division. Most have been expecting the Ravens to begin dropping off as the older veterans start to go elsewhere or call it a career, but the Ravens held on strong last season.

Following the 2015 NFL Draft, the Ravens are hoping they've done enough to keep the team competitive next season. Teams like the Ravens don't necessarily draft for need, but general manager Ozzie Newsome is one of the best in the NFL at building through the draft and he grabbed several players who should be able to contribute right away.

The Ravens have had middling production out of the wide receiver position for an awful long time. The addition of Steve Smith last season was met with lukewarm reviews, but he showed he still has plenty left in the tank by catching 79 passes for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns. Meanwhile, Torrey Smith had something of a disappointing season with 767 yards, though he did have 11 touchdowns.

Torrey Smith departed for the San Francisco 49ers and the Ravens didn't do anything to address the position in free agency. But the team made a statement in a big way by taking UCF receiver Breshad Perriman in the first round of the draft. Perriman has speed and a ton of athleticism, but questionable hands. He has all the makings of a No. 1 receiver and should be able to step into a starting role next season.

Dennis Pitta is one of the better tight ends in the league, but he's had two consecutive seasons end with a hip injury. Doctors have given him the all-clear at this point, but Pitta shouldn't be relied on at this point. Baltimore addressed the position by targeting the consensus top tight end of the draft in Minnesota's Maxx Williams.

Owen Daniels led the Ravens' tight ends in receiving last season, but he's no longer with the team. With guys like Phillip Supernaw, Konrad Reuland, Crockett Gillmore, Nick Boyle and Allen Reisner comprising the team's other tight ends, there's a lot of room for Williams to earn playing time as a rookie. There may even be something of a battle between he and Pitta for snaps.

Baltimore lost some big names along the defensive line this offseason. Pernell McPhee is one of them, and Haloti Ngata is another. Few expected they'd be able to fill those needs, especially given the team didn't do much in free agency outside of re-signing defensive end Chris Canty. But the Ravens made two picks that were better-received than either their first- or second-round picks.

Those picks were Iowa defensive tackle Carl Davis in the third round (90 overall) and Kentucky defensive end Za'Darius Smith in the fourth round (122 overall). Davis was routinely mocked in the first round of the draft and should be able to start early on, while Smith will definitely need to start as soon as possible. Smith is filling the hole left by McPhee, and Davis should line up in the interior alongside Terrance Cody. That marks at least four rookies who could be expected to start next season.