Pundit Says Ravens Are 'Operating From Position of Strength' in Draft
After being hit hard in free agency, the Ravens have more holes to fill than usual entering the draft. However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer contended that center is the only position that is a pressing need.
"That opens GM Eric DeCosta up to do what Baltimore usually does, which is take the 'I can't believe he's still there' guy," Breer wrote. "If [Miami edge rusher] Reuben Bain Jr. or [LSU cornerback] Mansoor Delane or [Utah offensive lineman] Spencer Fano or [Penn State guard] Vega Ioane, or even [Ohio State wide receiver] Carnell Tate or [Arizona State wide receiver] Jordyn Tyson, fall into their laps, the Ravens could take advantage of that.
"[Oregon's] Kenyon Sadiq is on the radar, too, as a potential replacement for Isaiah Likely at tight end. The only one that might be tougher for them to justify would be [Ohio State safety Caleb] Downs, given that they just took Malaki Starks in the first round and paid Kyle Hamilton. But Baltimore is operating from a position of strength here in picking higher than they normally do."
Not only are the Ravens picking higher than usual – their first pick has been between No. 22-30 seven times in the past eight years – but they also have 11 picks, tied for the second-most behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (12). That gives the Ravens the flexibility to move up or add more picks.
Who Is the Ravens' Best First-Round Pick Ever?
The Baltimore Banner’s Childs Walker ranked all 33 of the Ravens' first-round draft picks, and the list is replete with Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers, and Pro Bowl players.
You know it's an impressive list when neither Hall of Fame inside linebacker Ray Lewis (1996 draft class, No. 26 overall) nor Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed (2002, No. 24) – both of whom are arguably the greatest of all time at their respective positions – were No. 1.
That distinction went to two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who the Ravens took at No. 32 overall in 2018 after trading back into the first round.
"Why does Jackson rank ahead of Lewis, who won two Super Bowl rings?" Walker wrote. "Because teams exhaust extraordinary resources to find (or fail to find) franchise quarterbacks, while the Ravens snagged theirs with a bit of late-night draft élan."
Hall of Fame left tackle Jonathan Ogden (1996, No. 4), the first pick in franchise history, was No. 3. Super Bowl XLVII MVP quarterback Joe Flacco (2008, No. 18) rounded out the top five.
Hamilton (2022, No. 14) was No. 6, a ranking that reflects just how impactful he has been in his four years in the league. Likely Hall of Fame outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (2003, No. 10) was No. 7.
Jeff Zrebiec Ranks DeCosta's Draft Classes
Ozzie Newsome set a high standard for Ravens drafts during his 23 years as general manager, and DeCosta has maintained the standard as he enters his eighth year as Newsome's successor.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec ranked all of DeCosta's draft classes. Unsurprisingly, the heralded 2022 class, headlined by first-rounders Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum, took the top spot.
"This may go down as the second-best draft class in franchise history, behind the inaugural 1996 class, which yielded first-ballot Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis," Zrebiec wrote. "Hamilton, Linderbaum, [defensive tackle] Travis Jones, [tight end] Charlie Kolar, [punter] Jordan Stout and Likely have all gotten significant second contracts from the Ravens or some other team over the last 10 months.
"Hamilton and Linderbaum are on the short list of best players in the league at their positions, while Stout was an All-Pro last year and Jones had the best season of his career. Even a big swing and miss on [outside linebacker] David Ojabo doesn't detract too much from this group. All 11 players selected are on NFL rosters four years later, which is saying a lot."
The 2020 class, led by first-round inside linebacker Patrick Queen, second-round running back J.K. Dobbins, and third-round defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, was No. 2.
Last year's class was No. 3. First-round safety Malaki Starks and second-round outside linebacker Mike Green made an impact as rookies and are poised for breakout seasons. Fourth-round inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan earned a starting role, and third-round guard Emery Jones Jr. could get an opportunity to compete for a starting job after missing most of his rookie season to recover from shoulder surgery.
"You really need two, if not three, years to fairly evaluate a draft class, so it's premature to grade this group. The early returns, though, are promising," Zrebiec wrote.
'Blind Resume' Mock Draft Yields Familiar Pick for Ravens
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox conducted a "blind resume" mock draft, making his selections based solely on prospects' 2026 statistics, physical traits, scouting combine performances, and/or pro day results.
Factors such as game film, level of competition, program pedigree, and personal interviews were not considered, but team needs and positional value were.
The exercise produced some wild first-round selections. For example, the Arizona Cardinals drafted Miami quarterback Carson Beck at No. 3 overall. Beck is projected to be a mid-round pick.
However, even in an unorthodox mock draft, the Ravens' pick at No. 14 was Ioane, the prospect most frequently linked to them.
"[Ioane] possesses an intriguing combination of experience, size, and athleticism," Knox wrote. "A 32-game starter at guard, he did see a handful of snaps at center. He should immediately plug into Baltimore's line as a starter and has the potential to develop into a regular Pro Bowler."
