How Ravens Can Earn an 'A' Draft Grade
The Ravens typically receive high draft grades from pundits. What would it take to earn an "A" this year?
ESPN’s Ben Solak devised a draft strategy for each team to follow to address its short- and long-term needs and thus take home an "A" on its report card.
For the Ravens, Solak acknowledged that Penn State guard Vega Ioane is the "chalk pick" and said they should take him if he's there at No. 14. However, if Vega is off the board, Solak said the Ravens can still ace their first pick.
"I'd imagine they're interested in Keldric Faulk (Auburn) along the edge, as new coach Jesse Minter likes strong run defenders at his edge spots," Solak wrote. "Don't sleep on a first-round receiver such as Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) or Makai Lemon (USC), either. … With Isaiah Likely gone and Mark Andrews getting older, Kenyon Sadiq's (Oregon) range starts here as well.
"In short, the Ravens are a lot more flexible at No. 14 than people realize. With so many picks on Day 3, they could easily reposition on Day 2 to draft multiple starters along the interior offensive line. Sam Hecht (Kansas State) and Logan Jones (Iowa) are scheme fits at center, and Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon) and Jalen Farmer (Kentucky) fit their type at guard."
While cornerback isn't as big a need as other positions, Solak thinks the Ravens should target one on Day 3.
"A middle-rounds CB might be CB4 this season ... and CB2 by next season," Solak wrote.
Jeff Zrebiec Says Sense of Urgency Is High for Ravens to Nail the Draft
With the Ravens coming off a disappointing season and losing a significant amount of players in free agency, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec said this year's draft has more urgency than normal.
Zrebiec said the need for the Ravens to hit a home run in the draft on a scale of 1-10 is an eight.
"That's not because General Manager Eric DeCosta is on the hot seat," Zrebiec wrote. "... This is more about the organization moving on from a brutal 2025 and making the necessary roster fixes to get back to a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
"This can't strictly be a depth draft for the Ravens. This is a draft where they need to find two or three impactful starters, plus depth. The Ravens lost 15 free agents and signed only six, with half of those six projected to be reserves. That alone tells you DeCosta needs to add some meaningful reinforcements next week."
Consensus Ravens Mock Draft Pick Ioane Is Brian Baldinger's Favorite Prospect
Ioane is the consensus pick for the Ravens in mock drafts, and to hear NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger describe him, the 6-foot-4, 320-pounder is the embodiment of "play like a Raven."
"He's been my favorite player since I started studying this draft two and a half months ago," Baldinger said on Westwood One Sports' "You Better You Bet" show. "Last year, Tyler Booker went in the first round to Dallas, and Grey Zabel went in the first round to Seattle, and they both made a big difference. They were really good players. Ioane is better. He's bigger. He's stronger. He's meaner.
"He looks like the greatest joy he gets in life is taking his opponent and planting him into the turf. He's really good at it. And he just knows how to play. He's very strong. He's got tremendous balance – it's an underrated skill. He's never on the ground unless he's sitting on top of his opponent. He's going to start Day 1 for a team next year."
What Year 2 Progress Might Look Like for Ravens' 2025 Draft Class
As we continue to look ahead to this year's draft, Press Box’s Antonio Barbera looked at the Ravens' 2025 draft class and what progress in Year 2 might look like.
Here's a look at Barbera's projections for the top three picks from last year:
S Malaki Starks (Round 1, No. 27)
"Starks evolves from a solid contributor to an above-average player. He intercepts five passes, adds another 80 tackles and again sees a remarkable amount of playing time. Commentary about the Ravens' secondary changes from 'look out for Hamilton' to 'look out for Hamilton and Starks' as he earns his first Pro Bowl nod."
OLB Mike Green (Round 2, No. 59)
"Green feasts as a disruptive second fiddle while opponents dedicate attention and double teams to Trey Hendrickson. He gains strength and develops an arsenal of pass rush moves. He totals 8.0 sacks, 50 tackles and 20 quarterback hits."
OL Emery Jones Jr. (Round 3, No. 91)
"Jones takes a starting spot on the offensive line and plays 17 games. He is a perfect example of a player with a lot to gain in his second season. … With the signing of guard John Simpson and another lineman likely to be added through the draft, progress for Jones would be beating out the competition and becoming a Week 1 starter in 2026."
Ravens' New Uniforms Are Fashion Hit
The Ravens unveiled a new uniform collection for the 2026 season Thursday night before a packed house at Merriweather Post Pavilion, and the stylish duds are getting positive reviews, especially the all-black combination.
Here's a look at what pundits said about the uniforms:
Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick: "The Ravens nailed this one. They stayed true to their color scheme, added some pizazz with the collar wings and pant stripes, but didn't take it too far by completely rehauling their kits. The best part? All four jerseys, four pants, and two helmets can be mix-and-matched so that Baltimore always has a clean look when it takes the field. Grade: A."
The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn: "I think the new jerseys look beautiful, albeit similar. I was expecting a bit more change, but the all-whites with Oregon-like trim on the neck is fire. The black helmets might be my favorite. Underrated: The slightly new numbering style. … This took three years to put together, and there were several iterations that didn't cross the finish line. Baltimore's decision makers seemed to make the right call."
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker: "In terms of wow factor, the new all-black helmets popped the most, with the bird logo blacked out as well. The rest were mostly minor modifications, more modern and sleek. A nice subtle touch was on the team's road white jersey, which now say Baltimore on the front instead of Ravens."
Ravens Wire’s Glenn Erby: "Best colorway: All black jersey, black pants, new back helmet. The new Matte black helmet is fire, and takes this combination to the top."
