Ravens Rookie LB Could Have Big Debut

The Baltimore Ravens are one of the few NFL teams with not one, but two Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates. First-round pick Malaki Starks is a versatile safety who could be a ballhawk in the secondary, while second-round pick Mike Green is an explosive pass rusher who likely would've gone in the first round if not for his off-field concerns.

Those two are getting a ton of attention from both Baltimore and the broader NFL world at large, and rightfully so. However, there's another defensive rookie who could take people by surprise.

Linebacker Teddye Buchanan, a fourth-round pick out of Cal, is a tackling machine who could be all over the field in the NFL. He's currently competing with Trenton Simpson for a starting job, but should he win that competition, he could quickly put the NFL on notice.

CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso named Buchanan as the Ravens' post-Round 1 pick who could make the biggest impact in his rookie season.

"In two years, we will all be flabbergasted when we're reminded Buchanan was selected in the fourth round," Trapasso wrote. "And he couldn't have landed in a finer situation, in Baltimore, on a Ravens team in need for athleticism at off-ball linebacker. By the way, the Ravens have a long history of defensive stoutness, stemming particularly from that spot on the field. 

"Buchanan was a magnet to the football at California in 2024, with 114 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, with four pass breakups after a spectacularly productive career at UC-Davis. Trust me, Buchanan is going to rock in Baltimore."

The Ravens' history at off-ball linebacker is quite extensive, with Ray Lewis and Peter Boulware dominating in their early days and Roquan Smith dominating now.

Saying that Buchanan could be the next in that line is wildly premature at best, and putting those expectations on him as a rookie could be harmful, but the Ravens clearly know what they're doing at the position. As Trapasso noted, he landed in possibly the best situation possible.