Two years ago, Teddye Buchanan didn't picture himself starting as a rookie for the Ravens.
A two-star prospect coming out of high school, he was playing at Cal-Davis, a school that has produced just one NFL draft pick since 2003. Even last year, after transferring to Cal, Buchanan couldn't take an NFL future for granted.
Now he's playing next to Roquan Smith, chasing Lamar Jackson at practice, and stalking Josh Allen on "Sunday Night Football."
Buchanan knows he's risen far and fast, and he's enjoying the ride.
"Before every game I just take a moment to appreciate it, take it all in," Buchanan said after making his first NFL start in the Ravens' 41-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns. "Now that I'm here, it's all about performing and helping the team win."
Buchanan became the first Day 3 pick to start on the Ravens' defense within his first two games since 2006, when fifth-round selection Dawan Landry started at safety.
Landry made five interceptions as a rookie and remembers what it felt like joining a stacked defense that included Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Trevor Pryce, Bart Scott, Chris McAlister, Adalius Thomas, and Samari Rolle.
"I was starstruck until we put on the pads," Landry said in a telephone interview. "I still remember my first padded practice. [Defensive Coordinator] Rex Ryan put his arm around me and said, 'You're practicing with the starters. Do your thing.' I held my own, and that's when I said, 'OK, I think I belong here.'
"Those are the moments you remember. It's probably the same for Teddye. Ed Reed, all the vets, took me under their wing, treated me like a little brother. I wasn't picking up the defense that fast until they showed up, but once I could see what they did, I followed their lead. The only advice I'd give Teddye is to savor the moment, take constructive criticism, and don't make the same mistake twice. I'm sure playing with guys like 'Ro', Kyle Hamilton, and [Nnamdi] Madubuike is only helping him grow."
More starts could follow for Buchanan, who made six tackles against the Browns and played 82% of the defensive snaps, up from 34% in Week 1. It's a continuation of his rapid rise, and none of it seems too big for him.
Buchanan's draft stock went way up after he had 114 tackles and five sacks at Cal last season and made the All-ACC First Team. That put him on the Ravens' radar, and now he's a key member of their 2025 draft class. Buchanan and Trenton Simpson are sharing snaps at inside linebacker, but Buchanan's play against the Browns stood out.
"He's just playing really solid football," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "He is in the right place doing the right things, [with] specific things that we were doing. Again, there are things he can work on and get better at, but [he] played a really good game for us."
Being in linebacker meetings with Smith has accelerated Buchanan's growth. Smith won AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Cleveland, and his impact goes beyond the field. He's a leader who loves dropping knowledge to younger teammates. Buchanan loves absorbing it and clearly knows how to apply it.
"'Ro' is special," Buchanan said. "It's like having a coach out there on the field, especially for a young guy like me.
"He's the quarterback of our defense, and standing right next to him, I get to hear everything he's saying, and obviously, I'm taking in whatever he says, and it's helped me a ton."
Buchanan is a late bloomer who played quarterback in high school before switching to linebacker and wasn't heavily recruited. He has grown into a 6-foot-2, 240-pound physical specimen whose physique makes Smith jokingly envious.
"Those boys (Buchanan and Simpson) are yoked up," Smith said during training camp. "I was like, 'I never looked like that.' Whatever plan they're on, I probably need to look into it."
Smith also complimented Buchanan's smarts this offseason, saying he's "well advanced for a rookie."
Playing for UC-Davis, Cal, and the Ravens in a three-year span has forced Buchanan to learn different defensive concepts. It's been challenging, but he's a fast learner who has mastered the art of processing without overthinking. He reads, reacts, and makes plays.
"Teddye, he's going to be one of the best linebackers in the game," rookie first-round pick Malaki Starks said. "I truly believe that. Just the way he goes about his business. He cares so much about the game of football. But he also has the ability to back it up."
Buchanan also understands that nothing is guaranteed. To keep playing, Buchanan needs to keep playing well. But that's the world Buchanan is used to living in.
Buchanan had long hair in college, but he cut it off at the start of his NFL career because he felt he had to earn that look. As a Day 3 pick, he knew he needed to compete from Day 1 of rookie minicamp. He's done that while drawing inspiration from the Ravens' legacy that's been built on defense. And his hair is growing back fast.
"It's a blessing, for sure, just to have that responsibility," Buchanan said. "It means a lot to me, and I take that very seriously. I know the type of pedigree that the Ravens defense – especially Ravens linebackers – have. For me, that's easy motivation to just do my best on the field."
Landry is rooting for Buchanan — a Day 3 pick from the past pulling for a Day 3 pick in the present.
"We all learn about the standard for Ravens defensive players as soon as we're drafted," Landry said. "We hear the stories as rookies, we see the pictures on the wall. Glad to see that Teddye is holding it up."
