The countdown to the NFL Draft is inching closer to zero.
General Manager Eric DeCosta, Head Coach Jesse Minter, and the Ravens' top brass will head to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis next week to get a close look at some of the top prospects in April's draft.
Here are the prospects pundits are projecting as targets for the Ravens in Round 1:
G Vega Ioane, Penn State
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "Is a guard the best use of the 14th pick? If your answer is yes, you probably are well aware of the struggles the Ravens had at both guard spots last season. Ioane certainly wouldn't be a sexy pick, but he would be a very functional one. He's the top guard in the draft and has Pro Bowl upside. The Ravens could plug him in from Day 1 and not have to worry about that spot for at least five years. That would be a nice luxury to have, particularly for a team that hasn't gotten enough quality from that position in recent seasons."
Luke Easterling, Athlon Sports: "There are big needs on defense, but this team will always go as Lamar Jackson goes, and keeping the running game strong will always be vital. To that end, the Ravens could look to improve the interior of their offensive line, and Vega is easily [the] top guard prospect in this year's class. He has the polish and physical tools to make an immediate impact for a team that will be hungry to get back to the postseason."
Ayrton Ostly, USA Today: "Two of Baltimore's five offensive line starters from last year are hitting free agency, including left guard Daniel Faalele. Ioane is the best pure-interior offensive line prospect in the class and would be a road-grading presence in the middle for the Ravens' run game under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle."
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: "Vega Ioane looks like a Ravens offensive lineman, right? He is big, powerful and can grind down the opposition in the rugged AFC North. With Daniel Faalele scheduled to hit free agency and coming off a bit of regression last season, Baltimore has an opportunity to upgrade in the trenches -- a core belief Jesse Minter likely holds given his proximity to both Harbaughs over the past decade."
Jacob Camenker, USA Today: "Guard was one of the Ravens' biggest weaknesses last season, and their interior offensive line could take an even bigger blow if center Tyler Linderbaum leaves in free agency. Ioane is the clear-cut best interior blocker in this year's draft, and Jesse Minter may have an interest in adding him after seeing how the Chargers' poor interior blocking was the team's undoing in 2025."
Garrett Podell, CBS Sports: "Ioane is the best interior offensive lineman in this draft. As Penn State's left guard, he didn't allow a sack in his last two college seasons, which spanned 27 starts and 776 pass-blocking snaps. Ioane throws people out of the club in the run game and is strong when elevating to the second level to block linebackers and defensive backs. In pass protection, he stays right up on rushers with great knee bend and change of direction. Baltimore's guards struggled in 2025, so this pick mitigates that issue."
EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
2025 stats: 31 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks
Cynthia Frelund, NFL.com: "With 27 career sacks and 35.5 TFLs over his five-year college career, Howell could help a defense that struggled to rush the passer last season. What stands out about Howell is his lack of fatigue (slowing down in the fourth quarter), especially in true pass-rush situations later in games."
Rob Rang, FOX Sports: "Bringing back Jesse Minter to the Ravens is a strong indication that Baltimore is ready to recommit to its once-proud defense. Long known for their defense throughout the John Harbaugh era, the Ravens stumbled to a tie for 30th in the NFL in quarterback sacks in 2025. Last year's prized rookie Mike Green generated just 3.5 sacks and the club was led by Travis Jones' five QB takedowns. Howell is explosive upfield and also agile enough to drop into coverage. His versatility and intensity make him an intriguing fit for a defense needing a bit of both to kick off Minter's return."
Joel Klatt, FOX Sports: "I got to know new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter when he was Michigan's defensive coordinator for a couple of seasons, and the principles of that defense start with hard edges. The Ravens also have a need for some pass rush help, ranking in the bottom-five in sacks. Howell was one of the better pass rushers in the country this past season, getting 11.5 sacks in 13 games."
WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
2025 stats: 61 receptions, 711 yards, 8 touchdowns
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: "Baltimore is still in search of a complement to Zay Flowers. Tyson gives the new coaching staff more firepower on offense."
Dan Parr, NFL.com: "As talented as he is, Zay Flowers can't carry the receiving corps by himself. So, another WR flies off the board as the Ravens look to do right by Lamar Jackson, giving him a tough pass catcher who can go up and get it."
EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
2025 stats: 29 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 4 passes defensed
Charles Davis, NFL.com: "Faulk's talents fit the Ravens' profile. He's a versatile, hard-charging pass rusher."
WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
2025 stats: 51 receptions, 875 yards, 9 touchdowns
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: "It seems like Baltimore always finds value in the middle or later parts of Round 1. In this case, the Ravens scoop up Tate, whose profile is appealing enough that he could go in the top 10; with his strong hands and crisp route-running, he seriously boosts the potency of Lamar Jackson's arsenal."
WR Makai Lemon, USC
2025 stats: 79 receptions, 1,156 yards, 11 touchdowns
Field Yates, ESPN: "It would be nice for the Ravens to beef up the interior offensive line, but they are a playmaker short in the passing game as well. The Ravens finished 30th in receiving first downs this past season (141), ahead of only the Jets and Browns. They were also 30th in yards after the catch. What Lemon lacks in stature (5-foot-11, 195 pounds), he makes up for in several ways. He has an off-the-charts catch radius, elevated instincts and a determined running style after the catch. He can shake defenders in the short and intermediate passing game, which led to him averaging the third-most receiving yards per game in the FBS last season (96.3)."
DT Caleb Banks, Florida
2025 stats: 6 tackles, 1 fumble recovery
Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports: "It's a matter of personal preference, but when it comes to interior defensive linemen in this class, I don't know that anybody has as high a ceiling as Caleb Banks, which makes him worth betting on. He played in only three games in 2025, but when you go through the tape, you see flashes of eye-popping plays. The question will be whether those flashes turn into more consistent production."
WR Denzel Boston, Washington
2025 stats: 62 receptions, 881 yards, 11 touchdowns
Gordon McGuinness, Pro Football Focus: "If Declan Doyle brings over the scheme that the Chicago Bears deployed in 2025, then the Ravens will have three wide receivers on the field significantly more in 2026. Right now, they don't have the talent to do so, so Boston would be a strong selection. He would give them a different type of receiver, too, coming off a season where he hauled in 76.9% of his contested targets."
EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
2025 stats: 63 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles
Kyle Dvorchak, NBC Sports: "Baltimore ranked 29th in pressure rate last year and just signed a former defensive coordinator in Jesse Minter as their head coach. Minter is going to need more firepower on defense. Mesidor is an older prospect, having spent six years in college, but he was productive as early as his freshman season. He notched five sacks at West Virginia in 2020 and closed his career with 12.5 at Miami this year."
OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Mike Renner, CBS Sports: "Mauigoa would help solve the massive issue the Ravens had at guard last season. He's exceptional in a phone booth with the ability to consistently reset the line of scrimmage in the run game."
