Penn State guard Vega Ioane is the overwhelming favorite among draft pundits to be the Ravens' choice with the 14th overall pick.
However, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. loves the versatility of Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano. On an upcoming episode of "The Lounge" podcast, Kiper gave the nod to Fano over Ioane if both are available at No. 14.
Kiper views Fano as an immediate starter at guard who would help solidify Baltimore's entire offensive line.
"That offensive guard spot was so problematic," Kiper said. "We saw it affect even [Tyler] Linderbaum, it affected [Roger] Rosengarten. Even [Ronnie] Stanley was impacted by it. When your guard play is struggling, everybody's off."
Fano played left tackle in 2023 and made the switch to right tackle for the past two seasons at Utah. He measured the shortest arms of any tackle at the Combine at 32 1/8 inches, leaving many to believe he could best project along the interior.
Kiper believes the 6-foot-6, 311-pound Fano can play guard, tackle, or center in the NFL, adding to his value.
"Spencer Fano could be that right tackle if you have an injury, say a Rosengarten got hurt," Kiper said. "You plug him in. Guard spot, immediate starter, and center, I don't rule that out for him."
Kiper believes the Ravens would also be pleased to land Ioane, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound mauler that is considered the top interior lineman in this year's class.
"You know what Ioane is, he's an outstanding guard," Kiper said. "If you want the guy that's a defined guard, you plug him in, you've got maybe a Pro Bowl caliber guard."
Another player on Kiper's radar for Baltimore is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
While this draft is deep at the tight end position, Kiper believes that Sadiq's skillset justifies him being taken at No. 14. Baltimore lost tight ends Isaiah Likely (New York Giants) and Charlie Kolar (Los Angeles Chargers) in free agency, and the 21-year-old Sadiq has a high ceiling.
"Sadiq is a weapon," Kiper said. "I always say, 'Weapons equal winning.' Kenyon Sadiq wowed everybody over with his football IQ. We know what he did on the field in testing, and his best football is ahead because he's so young.
"He's such an athlete and he's got a great attitude. You can move him around as one of those chess pieces. He's certainly one of the top 13-15 players in this draft."
