The Baltimore Ravens are eyeing redemption in 2026. After an awful season followed by an overhaul of changes, the ball is in their court to show why they’re still one of the better teams in the NFL.
If the Ravens want to bounce back this year, they need to stick to their bread and butter. And what would that be? The fearsome run game led by Derrick Henry. It felt like they got away from that at times in 2025, and we all know that when Henry gets rolling, he’s unstoppable.
However, even with Henry’s success, it’s fair to wonder when the end will be. He’s 32 years old. His replacement could be coming.
According to Tarringo Basile-Vaughan on NFL Mocks, he sees Baltimore using a first-round selection to do just that. Enter Mark Fletcher Jr.
Baltimore Ravens stick to what they know best in way-too-early 2027 mock draft
Let’s be honest with ourselves, you’re not going to replace Henry. Not immediately. He’s a Hall of Fame-caliber running back who is pretty much impossible to tackle one-on-one in the open field, and somehow, he keeps getting better with age. His career arc has been absolutely unreal. However, if you’re going to take a shot at replacing Henry in the 2027 NFL Draft, Fletcher isn’t a bad shout.
It’s easy to see why Basile-Vaughn pairs Fletcher with the Ravens in his mock. Not only will Baltimore likely be thinking more heavily about drafting a running back a year from now, but at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Fletcher fits the style of their rushing attack. Basile-Vaughan wrote:
“The Ravens select Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami Hurricanes' standout running back, as their next power back. Fletcher combines speed and strength, making him an ideal long-term successor to Derrick Henry. In 2025, he rushed for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns, also adding 140 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on 17 catches.”
Fletcher is a bit of a bowling ball with the ball in his hands, and if he gets up to speed and combines that with outstanding strength, he can become a one-man wrecking crew. He showcased that ability on the big stage last year, as he carried the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship run in the College Football Playoff.
Evidently, like Henry, Fletcher can go into takeover mode. Again, he’s no Derrick Henry, but looking at the trajectory the top college football running backs are on right now, Mark Fletcher might be as close as you can get. He was that good in his junior campaign, and getting new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle his running back of the future feels like a smart move.
Ultimately, there could be a couple of reasons for the Ravens to shy away from going in this direction. They drafted Adam Randall in the fifth round in this past draft, who has a very high ceiling. In addition to that, running backs usually aren’t the hottest commodity in the first round. If the chips fall in a way where they believe drafting a running back first in the 2027 NFL Draft is the best move, though, Fletcher could end up being their guy. It makes a ton of sense.
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