The Baltimore Ravens showed up to the 2025 NFL Draft with a clear plan. They didn’t need to force anything. They just needed to stay patient and let the board do the work. And once again, that’s exactly what they did.
Eric DeCosta and his staff had a strong read on this draft from the jump. They didn’t overextend for needs, they didn’t panic when some early runs started happening. They stayed disciplined, picked off value all weekend, and added players who actually fit the way Baltimore plays football.
From landing a top-15 talent in Malaki Starks late in the first to filling out the roster with high-upside prospects on Days 2 and 3, this draft had a little bit of everything. It wasn’t flashy, but it was all business—and business is what the Ravens do better than almost anyone.
Breaking down every Ravens pick from the 2025 NFL Draft
Round 1, Pick 27: Malaki Starks, S (Georgia)
Baltimore didn’t complicate things. They let the board fall to them and ended up with one of the top prospects in Georgia’s Malaki Starks at No. 27. It felt very Ravens-esque. Starks is a versatile, starting-caliber safety who will allow Kyle Hamilton to play closer to the line, utilizing his full skillset.
Getting a guy who lets Hamilton be his true self should warrant an “A” grade on its own, but Starks’ ability to challenge pass catchers and range from sideline to sideline on the back end will be integral for their success.
Prediction: Malaki Starks finishes 2025 as a top-five contender for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 59: Mike Green, EDGE (Marshall)
Baltimore stayed patient and landed one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the class with Mike Green. On the field, this was vintage Ravens: best player available, high upside, and a clear need met. Green dominated at Marshall, leading the nation with 17 sacks and showing elite burst off the edge.
There’s obvious risk here. Green’s background includes serious off-field allegations that caused him to slide out of the first round entirely. Baltimore had to be extremely comfortable with him as a person before making this pick. If they are, and if Green stays on the right track, the Ravens just found themselves a potential game-wrecker at a massive discount.
Prediction: Mike Green leads all rookie edge rushers in sacks in 2025.
Grade: A
Round 3, Pick 91: Emery Jones Jr., OT (LSU)
Another classic Ravens swing here. Emery Jones Jr. is a powerful, versatile lineman with starting experience at LSU who fits Baltimore’s physical identity perfectly. He’s a natural mauler in the run game and brings the kind of toughness and SEC-tested experience the Ravens covet. While he played tackle in college, he’s expected to slide inside to guard, where his heavy hands and anchor should shine.
There’s some polish needed, especially in pass protection, but that’s a trade-off Baltimore is happy to make at this stage. With the left guard spot wide open, Jones could push for meaningful snaps sooner rather than later.
Prediction: Emery Jones Jr. eventually beats out Andrew Vorhees and becomes a full-time starter by the end of his rookie season.
Grade: A-
Round 4, Pick 129: Teddy Buchanan, LB (California)
The Ravens stayed true to their blueprint by grabbing Cal linebacker Teddy Buchanan in the fourth round. A former high school quarterback turned linebacker, Buchanan brought strong instincts, range, and a natural feel in coverage to the Ravens’ defense. His athletic testing matched the flashes he showed on tape, making him an easy fit for what Baltimore looks for at the position.
Buchanan wasn’t a classic downhill thumper, but his speed and versatility gave him immediate value on special teams with the upside to grow into a rotational defender. It was a smart value swing in the fourth round.
Prediction: Teddy Buchanan carves out a special teams role and pushes for defensive snaps late in the season.
Grade: B+
Round 5, Pick 141: Carson Vinson, OT (Alabama A&M)
Baltimore bet on traits in the fifth round, drafting Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson. A massive lineman with a raw but intriguing skill set, Vinson offered the kind of length and frame (6-foot-7, 328 pounds) that teams love to develop. He wasn’t facing top-tier competition in college, but his size, movement skills, and flashes of power made him a worthwhile project.
Vinson wasn’t expected to start right away, but in a Ravens system that knows how to coach up offensive linemen, he had a chance to turn into valuable depth — and maybe more down the road.
Prediction: Carson Vinson will spend his rookie year developing and competes for a swing tackle role in 2026.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick 178: Bilhal Kone, CB (Western Michigan)
DeCosta dipped into the MAC to add more size and speed to its secondary, selecting Western Michigan cornerback Bilhal Kone. A long, athletic defender at 6-foot-2, Kone brought physical tools the Ravens love to mold. He showed good ball skills and versatility in college but needed refinement in technique and consistency against better competition.
The Ravens weren’t asking Kone to contribute right away, but with Baltimore’s emphasis on depth at corner, he was a smart bet to develop behind veterans like Marlon Humphrey and Chidobe Awuzie.
Prediction: Bilhal Kone becomes a key special teams contributor as a rookie while developing into a rotational corner in practice.
Grade: B-
Round 6, Pick 186: Tyler Loop, K (Arizona)
The Ravens made a move they never have before by drafting a kicker—Tyler Loop from Arizona—in the sixth round. Loop was a steady presence for the Wildcats, converting 67 of 80 field goals (83.8%) and 126 of 128 extra points (98.4%) over his college career. He showcased his leg strength with a school-record 62-yard field goal in 2024 and led the FBS in kickoff touchbacks that season, with 53 out of 56 kickoffs.
This selection comes amid uncertainty surrounding veteran kicker Justin Tucker, who is under NFL investigation for misconduct allegations. While Loop may not be automatic from the start, his strong leg and college consistency suggest he could develop into a reliable option for Baltimore.
Prediction: Loop challenges for the starting kicker role and delivers some clutch performances during the season.
Grade: B+
Round 6, Pick 203: LaJohntay Wester, WR (Colorado)
Baltimore took a flier on some serious quickness with LaJohntay Wester, a smaller receiver who tore it up at Colorado after transferring from FAU. He’s undersized but explosive, a natural separator with good hands and big play potential after the catch. If nothing else, he gives the Ravens another option as a returner and a spark plug on offense.
Prediction: Wester pushes for a roster spot as a return specialist.
Grade: B+
Round 6, Pick 210: Aeneas Peebles, DT (Virginia Tech)
The Ravens love stacking their defensive line, and Aeneas Peebles fits the mold. He’s a stout, scrappy interior defender who plays with great leverage and quickness. He’s not a flashy pass rusher, but he’s a steady rotational piece who can eat snaps and hold his ground against the run. There was a legitimate need after Michael Pierce's unexpected retirement.
Prediction: Peebles carves out a role in the defensive line rotation by midseason.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick 212: Robert Longerbeam, CB (Rutgers)
Robert Longerbeam has the speed, length, and ball skills you want in a late-round corner, but he’s going to need time to polish his technique and bulk up a bit. Early on, he’ll need to stick on special teams and work his way up.
Prediction: Longerbeam makes the 53-man roster as a core special teamer.
Grade: B-
Round 7, Pick 243: Garrett Dellinger, G (LSU)
This feels like classic Ravens Day 3 work. Garrett Dellinger started games at four different offensive line spots for LSU and brings the size (6-foot-5, 320 pounds) and nastiness you want inside. He’s not the cleanest mover, but he’s tough, versatile, and gives Baltimore a developmental interior piece to mold.
Prediction: Dellinger makes the 53-man roster and serves as a "break glass in case of emergency" OL option.
Grade: B
Baltimore didn’t reinvent the wheel this year. They didn’t have to. They just kept doing what’s made them one of the best-run orgs in the league: betting on smart, tough, athletic players who fit their system. If even half of these picks hit, the Ravens just quietly pulled off another monster draft.
Overall Grade: A-