Needing a tight end in this year's draft, the Ravens traded up to get one in Round 4 and selected Matt Hibner of SMU.
Baltimore sent a fifth-round pick (No. 154 overall) and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers and moved up to No. 133 to grab Hibner.
Here are five things to know about the Ravens' newest tight end:
Hibner hopes to help fill the void left by Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar.
Over his last two seasons at SMU, Hibner blossomed as a receiver with 55 catches for 804 yards and eight touchdowns. He lined up all over the formation and showed his versatility as a receiver and blocker.
Trading up 21 spots to get Hibner in Round 4 indicates the Ravens believe he'll be a valuable piece in Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle's scheme. They will try to take advantage of the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Hibner and his ability to cause matchup problems.
"I see myself as more of an Isaiah Likely type of fit," Hibner said. "I know Charlie Kolar, shout out to him, he's trained at the same place I trained at and he's an awesome dude. Being able to play inline is important, but also being able to get downfield and make plays and be a consistent pass catcher as well."
Hibner is a huge fan of Mark Andrews and hopes to soak up his knowledge.
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is a player that Hibner has tried to emulate, but Andrews is also a favorite. Hibner believes he'll greatly benefit from being in the same room as Andrews, the franchise's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
"Mark Andrews has been around forever. I've watched him for as long as I can remember," Hibner said. "Watching him and his production, the amount of receptions and yards he's been able to get and still the way he produces in the run game, it's incredible, and his longevity. Hopefully, I can pick his brain a little bit and learn from him."
The thought of playing with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Andrews, and the Ravens' other offensive weapons has Hibner fired up. He'll have plenty of veterans to learn from without the pressure of having to play a major role in the offense from Day 1.
"Being able to be in such a powerful, explosive offense and try to learn from veterans in the room, take what I can, and be a sponge in my first year, I really can't think of a better fit," Hibner said. " I can't wait."
The Ravens have selected SMU tight end Matt Hibner with the 133rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Head Coach Jesse Minter and Hibner were together at Michigan.
Minter and Hibner were at Michigan (2022-2023) when Minter was the Wolverines' defensive coordinator. That time together gave Minter insight into Hibner's personality and work ethic.
Hibner only caught two passes during his three seasons at Michigan before transferring to SMU, where he blossomed as a receiver. However, Hibner contributed heavily on special teams at Michigan and tried to make the most of his opportunities.
"It was cool when I met with Coach Minter, we were able to chat and have that preestablished relationship," Hibner said. "That was a really close-knit team. Embracing special teams, that's going to be a big role for me. When I was at Michigan, that's how I got on the field and made the most impact."
He had a good feeling about the Ravens after attending their Pro Day.
Hibner visited Baltimore before the draft and met with Minter, Tight Ends Coach Zack Grossi, and Doyle. Then he received a text from Grossi before Saturday's fourth round began. That made Hibner feel more certain that he was on the Ravens' radar.
"I had a feeling that Baltimore could be the place," he said. "The emotions were overwhelming, just a surreal moment. The Ravens traded up for it, so it was a little bit of a surprise, just the timing of it all. But just an overwhelming feeling of being incredibly blessed and ready to make the most of it."
Hibner is a local product, and his father received a Purple Heart.
Hibner's father, David, is a director at the Department of Homeland Security and a retired Army colonel. David Hibner served in Iraq and received numerous awards, including the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart.
While at Lake Braddock High School, Hibner was a straight-A student who had a 4.3 GPA and scored a 1400 on his SAT. He was also an Eagle Scout.
