The Baltimore Ravens made the pick no one was expecting…not. With the No. 14 pick, Baltimore selected Vega Ioane (Penn State). 99.99% of people predicted this in mock drafts, and it’s absolutely a home run pick for them.
The Ravens needed someone like Ioane on the interior. In pass protection, he can be trusted to keep Lamar Jackson upright and off the injury report. In the run game, it may be a bit underwhelming at times, but a player with his size and power blocking in front of Derrick Henry is straight up dangerous.
What makes this sweeter is the fact that Baltimore may have made the smarter call than John Harbaugh. At No. 10, the Giants selected Francis Mauigoa (Miami), who will likely transition to guard in his rookie year. At No. 14, the Ravens wait for the board to fall to them, and possibly get the better guard in Ioane.
Baltimore Ravens’ guard selection has potential to pay off in an even sweeter way
There was a growing concern within Baltimore's fanbase that the Giants would select Ioane. Luckily, that's not how the cards played out. For the Ravens, their decision to sit and wait and not let the Giants rumors force an aggressive trade up, it's the perfect move.
Mauigoa’s considered the better player. Not many people would dare to debate that. The Miami product ranks ninth on FanSided’s top-50 big board, while Ioane settles in at 15th. It’s kind of close, but overall, most would favor selecting Mauigoa. Maybe they wouldn't as a guard prospect, though. Harbaugh’s Giants are likely betting on an immediate transition to guard for Mauigoa, rather than taking the sure thing in Ioane.
Mauigoa has the traits to be a strong starting guard. He’s a terrific run blocker and possesses the athleticism to get out in front and pave the way as a lead blocker. However, we know for a fact that Ioane can dominate at the guard spot. He was a force as a pass protector at Penn State.
This is a classic Ravens move where they sit and wait for the best player available to fall to them. There were rumors that picked up about Ioane potentially catching New York’s eye after they dealt Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 pick. Clearly, that wasn’t the case, and Ravens fans are likely breathing a sigh of relief.
Now, Baltimore has a formidable guard duo. They signed John Simpson and followed that up by investing high draft capital in Ioane. That area was a complete disaster last year, and in 2026, it could be one of their strengths. It’s all the more important, factoring in the loss of Tyler Linderbaum. They simply had to address the interior offensive line and do so in a very safe way.
Obviously, the plan will likely be to have Mauigoa end up at right tackle eventually. In year one, though, the Ravens could be getting the better guard play.
Add us as a preferred source on Google