The Baltimore Ravens had the second-worst passing defense in football last season. They ranked 29th in pass rush win rate. They lost a couple of starters in free agency. And yet, with all that going on, the most talked-about potential draft pick might just be… a kicker?
According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Ravens are scheduled to host Florida State’s Ryan Fitzgerald for a private workout ahead of this month’s NFL Draft. That’s notable not just because Fitzgerald is widely considered one of the best kicking prospects in the class, but because Baltimore’s long-standing kicker situation is suddenly in flux.
Justin Tucker is still on the roster, but he’s coming off his worst season as a pro and is under investigation by the NFL following multiple off-field accusations. The Ravens haven’t made any moves yet, but they’ve made it clear they’re doing their homework. A visit with Fitzgerald proves it.
Ravens will host a private workout with FSU kicker Ryan Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald was perfect in 2024, going 13-for-13 on field goals and 14-for-14 on extra points. That performance capped off a major turnaround after a rocky start to his career. From 2020 to 2022, Fitzgerald connected on just 65 percent of his field goals. Over the past two seasons? He’s hit 32 of 34. Mechanical tweaks helped turn him from a liability into a Lou Groza Award finalist.
“I’m going to put points on the board for our team,” Fitzgerald said in a recent interview with Melo. “I have the range to execute kicks from wherever. I’m super excited to have this opportunity.”
Fitzgerald also drilled a career-long 59-yard field goal last year and showed elite consistency on kicks of 50-plus yards.
59 yards.
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) August 24, 2024
Career long.
Second-longest in FSU history.
Ryan Fitzgerald ties the game at the half. #NoleFamily |#KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/ePaiB1yzTO
In a league where range and reliability have never been more valuable, his rise is drawing serious attention. He’s already worked out for the New England Patriots, has another lined up with the Washington Commanders, and now heads to Baltimore—a team that’s never drafted a kicker before, but might finally break the trend after 29 years.
Tucker’s future remains uncertain, and the Ravens can’t afford to be caught flat-footed. Special teams have been a staple of the franchise’s identity for decades. If Fitzgerald continues to impress, he could be a rare sixth-round kicker selection, as projected by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. If there were any year to draft a kicker, this is the one. They have the extra compensatory picks to take a flier and not "waste" a pick on a kicker. This could be the year.
Drafting Fitzgerald wouldn’t guarantee anything. But it would give Baltimore a contingency plan with legitimate upside. And in a draft loaded with defensive needs, having one less thing to worry about—especially in the kicking game—might be worth the investment.