Pundit Says It's 'Vital for Ravens to Land an Impactful Pass Catcher in the Draft'
There are varying opinions as to what the Ravens' biggest need is entering the draft, but Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano feels strongly that it's wide receiver.
"File this under things that have been said about Baltimore over the past few years: Lamar Jackson needs better wide receivers," Manzano wrote. "Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Devontez Walker can't be the top three options at the position heading into the 2026 season. It's going to be vital for the Ravens to land an impactful pass catcher in the draft, especially after tight end Isaiah Likely left to join coach John Harbaugh in New York."
Manzano is correct that the Ravens need to bolster their wide receiving corps, and it's a safe bet they will do so in the draft and perhaps in free agency as well. Wide receiver prospects Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), Makai Lemon (USC), and Carnell Tate (Ohio State) have gone to the Ravens at pick No. 14 in mock drafts.
That said, let's not underestimate what the three receivers Manzano mentioned are capable of.
Flowers has emerged as a No. 1 wide receiver and was a Pro Bowler the past two seasons. Bateman is one year removed from a breakout season in which he had 756 yards and nine touchdowns, and General Manager Eric DeCosta is looking forward to seeing what Bateman can do with new Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle. DeCosta is also excited about the big-play ability of Walker, who showed flashes of it last season.
In looking at the Ravens' other draft needs, Manzano said "there's also a massive hole at center left by Tyler Linderbaum." Manzano also criticized the team's overall offseason performance.
"It's been a rough offseason for the Ravens, even with the addition of Trey Hendrickson," Manzano wrote.
There are a lot of pundits who disagree with that assessment, as the Ravens have received generally high marks for their offseason moves. Moreover, it's only March. The Ravens have 11 draft picks and free agency isn't over.
"I think this team's going to look different come September. We're excited about it," DeCosta said last week. "There are a lot of opportunities for us to get better, and we plan to do that."
Jeff Zrebiec Looks at the Ravens' Most Logical First-Round Options
A wide variety of prospects have been linked to the Ravens in mock drafts, but some are more realistic possibilities than others.
While there are always surprises – the last time the Ravens had the 14th-overall pick, safety Kyle Hamilton shockingly fell into their laps – there's a good chance players who have been mocked to Baltimore such as Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, and Tate will be off the board by the time the Ravens are on the clock.
With that in mind, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec identified the seven most logical options for the Ravens at No. 14. Here's a look at three:
LSU CB Mansoor Delane
"You can never have enough good cornerbacks. The Ravens might be content with a top four of Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Chidobe Awuzie and T.J. Tampa right now. But Humphrey and Awuzie could be free agents next year, and Tampa is unproven. The Ravens know elite shutdown corners are hard to find, particularly for teams usually drafting later in the first round. Delane possesses the type of athleticism, physicality and awareness that No. 1 cornerbacks have."
Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor
"Team officials maintain that they still want to add another edge rusher after signing Trey Hendrickson, and Mesidor might be the poster boy in this draft for guys who 'play like a Raven.' He's a relentless pass rusher with a diverse plan to get after the quarterback, and he's also a very willing and physical edge setter. The Ravens put a high value on college production in evaluating pass rushers, and few in this class were as productive as Mesidor."
Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
"Tight end is not the team's most pressing need, but the Ravens have only two on their roster. One of them, Durham Smythe, is primarily a blocker. The other, Mark Andrews, turns 31 this year. Sadiq's 4.39 40 time is emblematic of just how athletic he is. Lamar Jackson loves throwing to tight ends, and Sadiq has a tantalizing skill set. He's also a competent blocker."
Defensive Tackle D.J. Reader Visits With Ravens
Veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader, one of the top available free agents, visited the Ravens on Thursday, per the NFL's transaction wire.
A stout run-stuffer, Reader has started 128 games over 10 seasons, including all 17 games with the Detroit Lions last year. He played four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he was a teammate of Hendrickson's.
"Reader, 31, would immediately profile as a valuable depth addition with the ability to impact the interior rotation," Sports Illustrated’s Ca'ren Franklin wrote. "Known for his strength at the point of attack and positional versatility, he has experience lining up both as a traditional nose tackle and at the three-technique, giving Baltimore flexibility across multiple fronts.
"For a Ravens defense that thrives on physicality, Reader fits the mold. His ability to anchor against the run and collapse the pocket from the inside would add another layer to a unit that already prides itself on versatility. Baltimore has long generated pressure through scheme, but adding a player like Reader could increase organic interior disruption. That matters against today's quarterbacks, who are most uncomfortable when pressure comes directly up the middle rather than off the edge."
Aaron Wilson of KPRC in Houston said other teams are also interested in Reader and he's not expected to sign with anyone until after the draft.
Ravens' 2022 Draft Class Cashed in for $300 Million
The strength of the Ravens' 2022 draft class was evident in how many of those picks received lucrative second contracts.
"For a group headlined by safety Kyle Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum, the Ravens' 2022 draft class cashed in big-time, totaling $300 million on their second contracts -- many of which were signed this offseason," ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote.
The downside to having such a successful draft class is that losing a number of them in free agency is inevitable.
"The Ravens can take pride in how they developed these prospects into the top players at their positions," Hensley wrote. "But Baltimore is now dealing with a feeling of loss after watching many of these players from this draft class land big-money contracts elsewhere. Of the 11 players drafted by the Ravens in 2022, only two remain: Hamilton and nose tackle Travis Jones."
In addition to Linderbaum, who blew up the center market by signing a three-year, $81 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders after the Ravens reportedly offered him a market-setting four-year, $88 million deal, three other members of the Ravens' 2022 class received big-money deals this offseason: tight ends Likely (three years, $40 million with the New York Giants) and Charlie Kolar (three years, $24.3 million with the Los Angeles Chargers), and punter Jordan Stout (three years, $12.3 million with the Giants).
Stout is the league's highest-paid punter and Kolar is the highest-paid blocking tight end.
"The Ravens were able to hold onto Hamilton and Jones from this draft class by not letting them reach free agency," Hensley wrote. "Baltimore signed Hamilton to a four-year, $100.4 million deal that reset the safety market and reached a three-year, $40.5 million extension with Jones."
