Ravens owner ‘was begging’ to make draft pick for his team

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti did more for his team’s draft prep than prepare his checkbook.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta revealed on Sunday that Bisciotti was in charge of making one of the team’s selections in the 2026 NFL draft. The player who caught the billionaire’s eye was Clemson running back Adam Randall, whom the team selected with the last of its three fifth-round picks on Day 3.

DeCosta shared during his post-draft press conference about how Bisciotti’s involvement came about during the NFL Annual League Meeting about a month prior.

“It’s the first draft pick Steve Bisciotti’s ever made,” DeCosta told reporters. “When we were down in Florida, Steve was begging for a draft pick—and he owns the team. I said, ‘Yeah, Steve, of course you can have a draft pick.’ And so we decided on our last fifth-round pick.”

The Ravens executive assured the media that Bisciotti did the work necessary to make an informed decision on the 174th pick. Per DeCosta, Bisciotti studied tape, did his research, and talked to people around Randall to validate his choice.

While all that could be true, the slippery slope here is that Bisciotti will now have extra investment in Randall’s success. How Randall performs on the field — if he even gets enough time there — would be a direct reflection of Bisciotti’s eye for talent.

Randall could very well be a slam-dunk pick who outperforms his draft slot. He’s a converted wide receiver who had a standout senior year as Clemson’s RB1. He finished with 814 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns in his first year as a full-time back.

However, slowly integrating the team owner in the draft process could bring serious consequences. Just ask Dallas Cowboys fans.