Ravens Hope to Continue NFL Draft Tradition

The Baltimore Ravens are notorious for drafting really strong defensive linemen to the team.

That's evidenced by what the team has done with Nnamdi Madubuike, a third-round pick in 2020, and Travis Jones, another third-round pick in 2022.

The Athletic insider Jeff Zrebiec looks into the team's recent history of drafting strong defensive linemen and the possibility that the team will look to do it again this year.

"For how much Ravens officials talk about the importance of the trenches and stopping the run, they just haven’t gone the defensive line route very often in recent drafts. The last time they selected an interior defensive lineman before the third round was 2014. In recent years, they’ve mostly relied on one or two veterans and the combination of Madubuike, Washington and Jones. That recipe has worked just fine," Zrebiec writes.

"Mack was a non-factor, playing in just one game in his career. Otherwise, what the Ravens have done here has been commendable. Madubuike developed into a Pro Bowl performer and is one year removed from a 13-sack season. Washington has been a solid rotational guy and got a second contract from the team. Jones still has room to grow, but he’s gotten better every year and looks to be a second contract guy, too."

Jones is a free agent at the end of the upcoming season, so finding a potential replacement for him in case the Ravens are unable to re-sign him is key. The Ravens would love to bring Jones back, but they would also benefit from adding some depth behind him.

Baltimore has eight Day 3 picks, so it would be a surprise if the Ravens didn't consider adding a defensive lineman with at least one of those selections, assuming they don't use one in the first three rounds.