The 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone, and like always, it was a spectacle to watch. It’s one of the craziest parts of the football business, as front offices look to do everything possible to ensure they fill out their rosters to the best of their abilities in preparation for the regular season.
Unfortunately for most of them, it’s almost impossible to satisfy fans and analysts with every pick, but for teams like the Baltimore Ravens—they seem to strike gold every chance it’s their turn to pick. In a recent article, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report offered one word to describe each of the NFL’s 32 teams’ drafts.
For the Ravens, Gagnon described their draft as “high-value.” As everyone has heard, the team’s first two selections—safety Malaki Starks and pass rusher Mike Green—were two of the draft’s biggest steals.
On Bleacher Report’s final prospect rankings, Starks and Green sit well above their selection numbers on draft night. Starks was picked at 27 and was ranked number 4 with an 8.9 grade (an immediate impact prospect). For Green, selected 59th overall, the Marshall star was listed at 16 on their big board with an 8.1 grade (a year-one starter).
Not only were these two of the biggest steals of draft week, but they also filled two of Baltimore’s most crucial needs. The team parted ways with Marcus Williams and Brandon Stephens departed in free agency, so while both players offered more negatives than positives last season, the defensive backs room needed another star. Starks is just that. He also allows Kyle Hamilton to use his versatility and play all around the field.
The second-round selection of Green gives Baltimore’s pass rush plenty of juice. While Kyle Van Noy is aging like a fine wine and playing the best football of his career, the fact of the matter is Father Time is undefeated, and the time will eventually come to find the 34-year-old's replacement. Even then, the duo of Van Noy and Odafe Oweh lacked some consistency in 2024. Bringing in Green, one of the most pro-ready pass rushers in the draft gives Baltimore plenty of fresh legs in the pass rush room to keep opposing offensive lines on their toes.
Finding two of Bleacher Report’s top 16 players in the back end of the first and second rounds is unreal value. Every year it seems insane to think one of these stars will fall to Baltimore late, but every year it happens, and this year they got two potential future stars. It should end up being another slam-dunk draft for Eric DeCosta and the Ravens.