Four Positions Ravens Could Double Up At In NFL Draft

The Ravens were able to re-sign two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley and 2021 third-rounder Ben Cleveland. However, their depth at tackle and competition at guard took a hit when they lost versatile veteran Patrick Mekari and experienced veteran backup tackle Josh Jones in free agency. While the odds of them taking a tackle-only prospect in the first round are slim to none, they could still use a fairly high pick on a player with tackle-guard flexibility. That player could compete to replace Mekari at guard, serve as the swing tackle option and be an eventual successor at tackle toward the end of his rookie contract.

During his press availability at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters that their front office "see a number of guards that could get picked in the first and second round and probably provide early value and start right away for their drafting clubs."

Historically, the Ravens have been among the league's best when it comes to identifying and developing interior offensive line talent in the early, middle and even later rounds. There's a strong chance the Ravens could target a prospect like North Dakota State's Grey Zabel or Ohio State's Donovan Jackson in the first round. Georgia's Tate Ratledge and Texas' Cameron Williams could be options sometime on Day 2 or they could take a less-heralded or falling prospect early on Day 3 who could still compete for a starting job as a rookie. With so many picks, they could also throw a dart at a developmental tackle prospect in the later rounds who is raw and needs refinement but could blossom down the road.

Defensive Line

Following the recent retirement of veteran nose tackle Michael Pierce and given that 2022 third-rounder Travis Jones is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the Ravens need immediate and long-term reinforcements along the interior of their defensive trenches. They are in need of another run-stuffer to help uphold what was the top rush defense in the league last year and could always use more juice when it comes to their interior pass rush as the Philadelphia Eagles brutally illustrated in their throttling of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl last month.

Thankfully, this year's class is loaded with defensive tackle prospects who specialize in both areas which makes this the most likely position for the Ravens to double up at. A few early-round targets could be Oregon's Derrick Harmon, Michigan's Kenneth Grant, Ole Miss' Walter Nolan and Toledo's Darius Alexander. They could then double dip in the mid-to-late rounds with Maryland's Jordan Phillips, Virginia Tech's Aeneas Peebles and Oregon's Jamaree Caldwell.

Defensive Back

Even after signing eight-year veteran Chidobe Awuzie to compete to replace two-year starter Brandon Stephens who departed in free agency and releasing veteran nickel Arthur Maulet, the Ravens' depth at cornerback is still shallow and inexperienced. DeCosta also admitted that they could use and would like to add another safety to their room who would free up two-time Pro Bowler Kyle Hamilton to utilize the full extent of his versatile skill set and make the defense as a whole more unpredictable and dynamic as a result.

The Ravens will most likely take one of each and could even double-dip at cornerback for the second year in a row. One of them could play inside and out and the other could be a raw prospect with rare traits who needs some time to develop while carving out a role on special teams in the meantime. Whoever they target at safety will either possess slot hybrid positional flexibility as well or be a true free safety presence that would allow Hamilton to spend more time closer to the line of scrimmage.

Some early-round targets at corner who fit the Ravens include Texas' Jahdae Barron, Kentucky's Maxwell Hairston and Trey Amos while some more raw but extremely athletic prospects who could be mid-round options are Iowa State's Darien Porter and Texas-San Antonio's Troy Franklin. At safety, they could take Georgia's Malaki Starks in the first round or wait until Day 2 and select Oklahoma's Billie Bowman or Notre Dame's Xavier Watts.

Outside Linebacker

While the Ravens are slated to bring back every member of the 2024 depth chart at the position, their top two sack leaders who recorded double figures last year are heading into contract years. Veteran Kyle Van Noy is aging gracefully and producing at a high level on a bargain deal while 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh is beginning to realize his full potential and will be playing on his fifth-year option in 2025.

Having multiple waves of pass rushers both from the interior as well as off the edge was integral to the Eagles' Super Bowl run this year. Even though the Ravens finished second in the league in sacks in 2024, their pass rush could still benefit from more juice and another consistently disruptive force off the edge and there just so happens to be an abundance of talent at that position in this year's draft as well.

In the back half of the first round, they could still have a chance to land the likes of Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku, Tennessee's James Pearce Jr. or Texas A&M's Nic Scourton. After round one, they could target someone like Arkansas Landon Jackson on Day 2 or Central Arkansas' David Walker early on Day 3.