The Baltimore Ravens need their 2026 NFL Draft class can bring the juice this year. Eric DeCosta drafted an excellent group of 11 rookies and added an intriguing list of undrafted free agents. While some could find a quick role, others will be grinding for a spot. For seventh-round guard Evan Beerntsen, the clock is already ticking.
Beerntsen faces a high-stakes battle. As the team’s final pick and one of the last five picks in the entire draft, making the 53-man roster isn’t guaranteed. It looks even grimmer, given the overhaul at offensive guard.
The Ravens haven’t had much success with drafting interior offensive linemen in the seventh round, either. Last year, 2025 seventh-rounder Garrett Dellinger was cut after preseason. 2024 seventh-rounder Nick Samac was waived last year, as well, and was eventually poached off the practice squad by the Carolina Panthers.Â
Beerntsen will look to shift that trend.
Evan Beerntsen might be headed down a roster path that the Baltimore Ravens know too well
There’s still a long way to go, but this summer stretch will be crucial for guys like Evan Beerntsen. He has his back against the wall, and after not really making any headlines throughout Baltimore’s offseason program, the month-long break and training camp will mean everything for him.
Beerntsen has potential. In 2025 at Northwestern, he submitted an overall grade of 79.0 (16th among guards) and particularly stood out as a run blocker, where he graded out with an 80.9 (10th-best), per Pro Football Focus. That’s the type of profile that the Ravens need, as they’re one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL, and that should remain a constant under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
While that’s all great, there’s definitely a tough road for him to navigate. The most glaring question mark is the fact that he’s a 25-year-old rookie. Sure, that experience will help. It should instill some leadership traits and abilities that not many rookies have. However, it may also build higher expectations. If he’s unable to show that he’s advanced for a rookie, then his Baltimore tenure could quickly come to a close.
Then there’s the competition at guard. The Ravens have their starters in place—they signed John Simpson and drafted Vega Ioane in the first round—and even their backups might be set in stone.
After starting last year, Andrew Vorhees appears ready to take a depth spot, and that experience should win him positioning on the roster fairly easily. Opposite of him, the team has Emery Jones Jr. suiting up for a second season, and as a 2025 third-round selection who missed a ton of time last year with an injury, coaches will be eager to see what he can do in a fully healthy offseason.
Simply put, Beerntsen doesn’t have room for error. His best hope might be showcasing his center versatility, as the Ravens continue to search for an answer to their overwhelming gap at that spot. While that’s not a strength of his, Eric DeCosta recognizes Beerntsen has experience there.
If Beerntsen can’t break the glass and stand out this summer, he might be headed for an unfortunate roster reality where he’s one of many players waived on roster cutdown day. There is a glimmer of hope that he can crack the practice squad, but even that could be tough with returning interior offensive linemen Corey Bullock and Jared Penning fighting for the same dream and more.
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