You could say that the Baltimore Ravens’ draft was once again a success. The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Ravens have a lot of reasons to be happy. They are leaving with a passing grade.
This year, the Ravens made 11 picks. It was another draft where they had an abundance of Day 3 capital, eight selections to be specific, and they made all eight selections.
While this is classic general manager Eric DeCosta, one part of their class looks very similar to a recent draft: the 2022 NFL Draft. That occassion, Baltimore drafted two tight ends on Day 3 in the form of Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely. Day 3 this year saw them add two tight ends again, selecting Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas.
They had two hits with Likely and Kolar, and will hope history repeats itself with Hibner and Cuevas.
Baltimore Ravens will hope history repeats itself with familiar draft strategy
Hibner, who the Ravens traded up to get in the fourth round, and Cuevas, who was a fifth-round pick, have some big shoes to fill. DeCosta has said he really likes both of them, but the team is going through a big shift at tight end.
While neither were overly productive across their four-year tenures in Charm City, Kolar and Likely were definitely worth their fourth-round selections back in 2022. Kolar flashed in the receiving game and was an extremely reliable blocker, and Likely was a matchup nightmare, being one of the more productive weapons at times and acting as a major threat in the red zone.
Unfortunately, both guys left in free agency. Likely followed John Harbaugh to the New York Giants, and Kolar inked a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. It felt like t were always super close to breaking out with the Ravens, but now they will continue to grow elsewhere.
Baltimore made an effort to replace Kolar through the free agent addition of Durham Smythe. That clearly wasn’t going to be enough, though. In their places, they’ll bet on Hibner and Cuevas.
Hibner has the athleticism to be the Likely replacement in this offense. He has the size and quickness to threaten opposing defenses, and also showcases quite the catch radius, which makes him a weapon in contested catch situations. Those are Likely-esque qualities. He’s even said he sees himself fitting into the unit in the way Likely did.
As for Cuevas, he could be Baltimore’s next Charlie Kolar. He has some alignment versatility, has the technique to produce as a blocker, and even has the route chops to get open and do damage as a receiver. His 6-foot-3, 245-pound frame could limit him slightly, but he certainly has the ability to be a notable piece in the offense.
Hibner and Cuevas’ roles will become all the more critical under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Doyle is a former tight ends coach and heavily utilized that position in his lone season as offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears in 2025.
Fans will eagerly be waiting to see how Doyle uses the rookies in 2026, as they look to replace Kolar and Likely.
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