Pundit Looks at the Ideal Top Two Picks for the Ravens
When it comes to the Ravens' draft strategy, they generally have a best-player-available philosophy while also being mindful of their needs.
NFL.com lead draft writer Eric Edholm put himself in all 32 teams' shoes and came up with the ideal top two picks for each based on how each team might think.
Edholm has the Ravens taking Penn State guard Vega Ioane in the first round at No. 14 and Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in the second round at No. 45.
"Ravens fans might be sick of seeing the same name here, but Ioane would be an immediate upgrade at right guard and give them more talent and depth up front," Edholm wrote. "Guards might not be high on the positional-value scale, but this could be a synergistic addition for an incomplete offensive line.
"The Banks pick might be a bit too on the nose, given the Ravens' willingness to take calculated draft risks, but if he checks out medically, Banks could give the front another pressure source. And yes, I considered an edge rusher, but the value and fit weren't there."
Banks has gone in the first round in a number of mock drafts, with several linking him to the Ravens at No. 14. However, he could slide into the second round because of his injury history.
"The Florida standout looked like a top-10 prospect in 2024, with his relentless game-wrecking forcing opponents to alter their offensive plans," NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks wrote. "But a foot injury limited him to just three games last year, and then he reportedly suffered a broken foot at the combine, apparently sidelining him until June. Banks is a staggering physical specimen – SEE: 35-inch arm length and 10 7/8-inch hand size – but the health woes make him a risky proposition as a potential first-round pick."
Ravens Take a Tennessee Cornerback in First Round of ESPN Analysts' Three-Round Mock Draft
With mock draft season in full swing, ESPN added a twist to its latest mock.
ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid, and Field Yates participated in a three-round mock draft in which they alternated picks. Their selections were based on what they would do as opposed to what they think will happen.
Here's a look at their selections for the Ravens:
Round 1 (No. 14)
Miller's pick: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
"Marlon Humphrey is on the decline, and Nate Wiggins is still a little unproven. McCoy, meanwhile, would have been CB1 in this class had he not lost a season to a torn ACL."
Round 2 (No. 45)
Kiper's pick: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech
"Even after the John Simpson signing, the Ravens' interior could use some attention at the draft. Rutledge allowed just two sacks across 43 career starts."
Round 3 (No. 80)
Yates' pick: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
"Fields would give the Ravens a much different style of wideout than Zay Flowers. Fields has vise-grip hands (one drop in 2025) and contested-catch ability, but his speed is just average."
Jadeveon Clowney 'Definitely Open' to Returning to Ravens
Free-agent outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney had one of the best seasons of his 12-year career in his one season with the Ravens in 2023, and the three-time Pro Bowler said he would welcome a return to Baltimore.
"They take pride in their defense," Clowney told KPRC in Houston. "I enjoyed the locker room. The guys that was in the locker room [were] an extremely fun group of guys. A lot of leaders was on that team, a lot of guys that respect the game of football.
"They got a lot of good guys that I can relate to in that locker room. I'll definitely be open to going back to Baltimore, playing with Lamar Jackson now. It was a great time for me."
Clowney, 33, matched his career-high of 9.5 sacks with the Ravens. He had 8.5 sacks in 13 games with the Dallas Cowboys this past season. In addition to his ability as a pass rusher, Clowney is a strong run defender.
"I got a lot left in the tank," Clowney said. "I don't know if other people know that, but I know that. I can continue to prove that to people and go out there and show people I'm going to do that."
Even though the Ravens signed All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson and are expecting Mike Green to make a leap in Year 2, it wouldn't be a surprise if they added another veteran in addition to drafting an edge rusher.
Former Sports Agent Says Tyler Linderbaum's Mega-Deal Was Most Surprising Development in Free Agency
CBS Sports writer and former sports agent Joel Curry said center Tyler Linderbaum's market-shattering contract with the Las Vegas Raiders was the most surprising development in free agency.
The Ravens reportedly offered Linderbaum a four-year, $88 million deal ($22 million per year) that would have made him the league's highest-paid center, but Linderbaum's camp was reportedly seeking $25 million per year.
Linderbaum ended up signing a three-year, $81 million contract ($27 million per year) that reset the center market by a whopping 50 percent.
"Linderbaum apparently had his sights set on not only being the league's highest-paid center, but also the league's wealthiest interior offensive lineman," Corry wrote. "The mark to beat for Linderbaum was the four-year, $96 million contract extension agreed upon between the Dallas Cowboys and guard Tyler Smith. That deal, signed last September, averaged $24 million per year.
"Conventional wisdom suggested that Linderbaum would fall short of his target price. A $25 million per year deal would have been a phenomenal 38.9% increase over the four-year, $72 million extension Creed Humphrey received from the Kansas City Chiefs. That deal, worth $18 million per year, paced the center market when it came into place two offseasons ago."
