OWINGS MILLS -- The Baltimore Ravens' search for offensive tackles took them to Mississippi and Indiana this week.

Ravens assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington attended the campus Pro Day workout of Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod. The Ravens also went to the Indiana University workout and met with Hoosiers offensive tackle James Brewer.

Sherrod has drawn first-round and second-round grades from draft analysts, and Brewer is expected to be available in the third round.

Sherrod is an All-Southeastern Conference selection who met with the Ravens, Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears at the NFL scouting combine and the Senior Bowl.

He graduated with a degree in business administration, earning a 3.54 grade point average.

Sherrod said he prefers to play left tackle at the next level.

"I am very NFL-ready at left tackle," Sherrod said at the combine. "That's the position I plan on going in and playing at."

The 6-foot-5, 321-pounder has a 35 3/8 wingspan. He was a team captain who won the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame award that includes an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.

When told that Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi has boldly declared that he's the best tackle prospect, Sherrod had a quick reply.

"If that's his opinion, that's his opinion," Sherrod said. "I feel otherwise, and that's my opinion."

Brewer is a 6-foot-6, 323-pounder who has a limited football background having played just one season of high school football. He's talented enough that he played in the Senior Bowl.

The honorable-mention All-Big Ten Conference selection ran the 40-yard dash in 5.21 seconds at the combine and bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times.

"I worked out with the guy from the Ravens, and I did things I hadn't trained for and I hadn't practiced," Brewer told Indiana reporters."I think that shows that I'm versatile and a quick learner."