The main goal of the Baltimore Ravens’ offseason was to find a pulse on the defensive side of the football again. The play over the last two years was simply unforgivable, and understandably, Eric DeCosta made it his greatest effort to bring back the Baltimore defense of old in 2026.
The team’s leader in that charge? Jesse Minter. The 42-year-old head coach will call the defense himself, and with him already being one of the best defensive minds in the game, it’s a test he should pass with ease.
And when you have a guy with defensive prowess like Minter calling the shots, it’s a huge opportunity for young players to quickly learn the ropes. A guy not many are talking about is seventh-rounder Rayshaun Benny; however, he might be a Day 3 gem.
Baltimore Ravens could receive a hidden boost from Rayshaun Benny
The Ravens struck their defensive line with a pair of jumper cables in the offseason. They made the blockbuster signing of Trey Hendrickson, drafted Zion Young in the second round, and even found a late free agency addition in Calais Campbell. With all that talent walking through the door, it’s easy for Rayshaun Benny to get lost in the loaded shuffle.
By many accounts, though, Benny was considered a steal at No. 250 overall. That praise has followed him into July. So much so that Sports Illustrated’s Jason La Canfora even believes he could be an immediate contributor in 2026. La Canfora wrote:
“We still have no idea when Nnamdi Madubuike will be back and be fully back and how much he can play after having neck surgery not that long ago. Every time I bring this kid up to an evaluator I trust they can’t stop gushing. And the Ravens have a strong track record with this kind of kid and I believe he will be a very interesting rotation piece this season with a chance to be more than that in the future.”
If Nnamdi Madubuike is healthy, and amid recent optimism it sounds like that’s a possibility, then that’d almost certainly shut down any dreams of a rotational role for Benny. But he is in a very favorable system. I’m not talking about the fact that Minter is a defensive genius—I’m talking about Minter’s already strong relationship with Benny.
Minter and Benny spent time together at Michigan from 2022 to 2023, a stint that saw them go undefeated and win the National Championship in 2023. Benny continued to carve out an important role on the Wolverines’ defense from that point on, and his experience working and training under Minter will give him a great idea of what to expect in Baltimore entering his rookie year. He’s a very lucky recipient in that regard.
So what could Benny bring to Charm City? Well, he’s mainly going to be asked to stop the run, as he possesses adequate instincts to bear down on rushing lanes and make life difficult between the tackles. He does have some quickness to be a decent factor as a pass rusher, but he’ll mainly be an early-down lineman.
Ultimately, it’ll be an uphill climb for Benny. He’s starting out from scratch and is at the bottom of a deep depth chart at interior defensive line. That’s not to say he can’t make an impact, though. The pieces are in place for him to bust the door open for a rotational gig.
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