The Baltimore Ravens, as usual, are coming out of the NFL Draft as winners. It’s hard to debate that. With 11 selections, they got some extremely high-value players like their first-rounder, Vega Ioane, second-rounder, Zion Young, and fourth-rounder, Elijah Sarratt.
There were certainly some reaches based on consensus throughout Baltimore’s draft. Their selection of Ja’Kobi Lane added some much-needed size, but some question if they overdrafted him in the third round at No. 80. And their lack of a center in the class is certainly a major worry.
Regardless, most people are giving the Ravens a passing grade. NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter gave them a B+. He wrote:
“Ioane's size, strength, and nimble feet made him a solid mid-first round pick -- though I do wonder if the Ravens might have been better off taking edge Rueben Bain Jr. at 14 and meeting the need for a guard later on.”
“Sarratt, a possession pass-catcher, was a good value. Grabbing the athletic Hibner in the fourth and the sturdy Cuevas in the fifth made sense.”
Baltimore Ravens have a respectable showing in 2026 NFL Draft
It hasn’t been the overwhelming response from the media that you usually see from the Ravens’ draft. However, there are still a lot of positives within this class. They filled almost every need, and did so in a way that addressed their biggest need of all: physicality.
It all starts with Vega Ioane. He’s going to set the tone and wreck opposing pass rushers in pass protection, and his size and power should do enough as a run defender. The team couldn’t afford to continue to put Lamar Jackson in harm’s way due to poor guard play, and they made sure of that by adding Ioane, who has already said that no one is touching his quarterback.
Baltimore also gets two receivers for Jackson, who can actually go up and win 50/50 balls: Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. Again, Lane can be viewed as a reach, but it’s an intriguing fit, as Jackson has never had a receiver of his size. Same for Sarratt. They also get two tight ends in Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas to fill the backup tight end voids, who Reuter believes are solid picks.
On the opposite side of the football, they not only add physicality, but also ruthless aggression in the form of Zion Young. He plays like a Raven and fits this team to absolute perfection. He’s going to set the tone, and based on fit and need, it might be one of the better selections in the draft.
Chandler Rivers is the other pick on defense that people are deeming to be a steal. Reuter had good things to say about his competitiveness despite his smaller frame. Another defender who plays like a Raven. Seems like a theme of the draft, and it’s a great call on the part of the front office. The team needs that kind of energy.
Overall, it’s a really solid draft. There’s a clear effort to set the tone of Jesse Minter with size, physicality, and pure hatred for the players lining up across from you. That’s what Baltimore Bully Ball is all about, and while there could be some misses and lackluster picks in this year’s class, they’re getting the influx of talent and energy they need.
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