The Baltimore Ravens know a thing or two about the draft. They understand the value of building through the trenches and taking advantage of drafting the best player available. It’s a philosophy that’s shaped their identity for decades, and it isn’t changing anytime soon.
With Michael Pierce retiring and Brent Urban still unsigned, there’s a real opening in the middle of Baltimore’s defensive line. Enter Kenneth Grant.
The Michigan standout has become one of the hottest interior defensive line prospects in this year’s draft, and if he’s on the board at No. 27 overall, he checks a lot of boxes. Size, athleticism, scheme fit—and now, a familiar name comparison.
According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, the player comp for Grant is none other than Travis Jones.
Ravens could draft a Travis Jones clone to pair with... Travis Jones
Grant isn’t just a top-30 player on Miller’s board. He’s the kind of space-eating athlete teams dream of developing. His rare combination of size (6-foot-3, 339 pounds), strength, and movement ability makes him a potential first-round pick... perhaps the 27th pick.
“Area scouts who have visited Michigan speak highly of Grant’s potential. ‘People his size shouldn’t move like this,’ an AFC West area scout texted me early in the 2024 season. While he didn’t do drills at the combine, Grant is rumored to run a sub-5-second time in the 40-yard dash and has posted a 29-inch vertical. That movement ability shows up on tape when he’s crashing the pocket or chasing down runners. He even had an interception in 2023 in which he tracked a batted ball down like a punt returner fielding a kick. Grant’s scheme fit as a true nose tackle might limit his value with some teams, but he is a plug-and-play starter over the center.”
That sounds a lot like Jones, who has quietly developed into one of the league’s more reliable run-stuffers since being drafted in 2022. While Jones doesn’t rack up eye-popping stats, his impact has been felt across the front seven. He creates lanes for linebackers, eats double teams, and gives Baltimore the kind of interior toughness every contender needs.
The challenge? Jones is entering the final year of his rookie deal. And with Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum, and other 2022 draft classmates due for major paydays, the Ravens may not be able to keep everyone. Jones could easily fall into the $15–20 million per year range if he takes the next step as a pass rusher in 2025.
That’s why Grant makes even more sense.
He’s younger. He’s more explosive. And he could be the long-term answer if Jones plays his way out of Baltimore’s price range. Even if Jones sticks around, adding another powerful, versatile interior lineman next to Nnamdi Madubuike would only strengthen a group that already causes chaos in the trenches.
If Grant is on the board when the Ravens are up, they could have a chance to reload with a player who fits their DNA—big, physical, disruptive, and built for Baltimore's defense.