The 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone, and it's time to recalibrate where we think NFL teams are at this point. The Baltimore Ravens are right there with the elite tier of teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Baltimore has made solid moves in free agency by adding depth pieces to their roster like DeAndre Hopkins and Chidobe Awuzie. In the draft, they got some really good value as well. Especially from players like Malaki Starks and Mike Green in the first and second rounds, respectively.
Ravens claim top spot in recent AFC power rankings
In the AFC, it’s really a three-team race between Baltimore, Kansas City, and Buffalo. Kansas City has been the gold standard since 2019 and just won its third straight AFC Championship in 2024. Heading into 2025, fans are eager to see someone finally dethrone them—and after the NFL Draft, many believe Baltimore is the team to do it. According to CBS Sports, the Ravens may now be the class of the AFC.
Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports ranked all the teams in the AFC after the draft, and Baltimore is at the top of his list. Kansas City and Buffalo were two and three, respectively. Dajani writes:
"The Ravens' draft is actually a reason why I have them No. 1 over the Chiefs and Bills in these post-draft power rankings. Baltimore found a way to keep left tackle Ronnie Stanley and then signedDeAndre Hopkins in free agency, but also drafted the best safety in this class with Malaki Starks at No. 27 overall, then found a first-round talent in Mike Green at No. 59 overall -- who led the FBS with 17 sacks last season. Baltimore also made THREE sixth-round picks I liked: cornerback Bilhal Kone, who has great length, defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles, who has a high motor, and slot cornerbackRobert Longerbeam."
Baltimore has had a strong offseason, starting with re-signing Ronnie Stanley to keep their franchise left tackle protecting Lamar Jackson for years to come. Then they gave Jackson a new weapon in Hopkins, while also adding Awuzie to bolster their depth at cornerback. Both offensive and defensive units figure to be near the top of their respective rankings.
In the draft, Malaki Starks adds even more talent to an already deep secondary and gives Kyle Hamilton a perfect tag team partner. Mike Green, who fell to them in the second round, fills a major need as a young pass rusher. He joins a group that already includes Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh—both coming off double-digit sack seasons—and brings even more juice off the edge.
The Ravens have had an offseason strong enough to earn top billing in the AFC. They’ve added to an already-loaded roster that looks ready to make a championship run. Now it’s on Baltimore to prove it against the likes of Kansas City and Buffalo. General manager Eric DeCosta has certainly done his part.