The Baltimore Ravens already walked out of Round 1 with a steal in Georgia safety Malaki Starks. That’s not hyperbole—he was widely considered one of the top prospects and somehow fell to No. 27, where Eric DeCosta didn’t hesitate to make the kind of move that strengthens an already terrifying defense.
Starks is a perfect complement to Kyle Hamilton. He’s a rangy ballhawk with elite instincts and the flexibility to line up wherever Zach Orr wants him. Together, they’re going to make quarterbacks question everything. But now that the backend is set? It’s time to help the guys up front.
Enter Alfred Collins.
There’s no such thing as too much trench help, especially in Baltimore. And after losing Michael Pierce to an out-of-nowhere retirement and still waiting to see if they'll bring Brent Urban back, this defensive line group could use a boost.
Ravens should hope Texas DT Alfred Collins is still on the board at No. 59
There might not be a more Ravens-y pick sitting in that second-round range than Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins.
Physically, he’s ridiculous. A 6-foot-6, 332-pound interior defender with long arms, an 85-inch wingspan, and power that pops immediately on film. He’s the kind of prospect who can collapse a pocket with raw strength alone—and with a little coaching, could be a long-term disruptor next to Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones.
There’s a reason he’s not a first-round lock, though. Collins isn’t polished. His pass-rush plan is still under construction, his get-off can be sluggish, and he tends to dance more than dominate on passing downs. But the flashes are blinding. He can reset the line of scrimmage against the run, and absorb double teams without flinching, and when he’s on, he’s a near-impossible to move.
The Ravens wouldn't need him to be a Day 1 superstar. They need a rotational piece that can win on early downs, eat space, and free up the linebackers. That’s Collins right now. And in Baltimore’s system, under defensive coordinator Zach Orr, he could be so much more.
Now, if DeCosta decides he wants more juice off the edge, there are still some names that could tempt him early in Round 2: Marshall’s Mike Green and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku come to mind. Baltimore has eight Day 3 picks. A small trade-up wouldn’t be a shock.
As for the guys who should be in their range at No. 59, names like Oluwafemi Oladejo (EDGE, UCLA), Landon Jackson (EDGE, Arkansas), Azareye’h Thomas (CB, Florida State), Tate Ratledge (OG, Georgia), and T.J. Sanders (DT, South Carolina) are all firmly in play. Depending on how the board breaks early in the second round, any one of those players could fit a Ravens roster still looking to round out depth in the trenches and the secondary.
If Collins makes it to 59, he’s the move. He’s the ideal follow-up to Starks—just two physical, high-IQ dudes who can help reestablish that old-school bully-style Baltimore identity on defense.