The Baltimore Ravens' pick at No. 14 was a no-brainer. They selected Vega Ioane (Penn State). Once it was their turn and the front office saw his name still on the board, they practically ran the card up to the podium.
It was a much-needed addition for Baltimore, which lacked pretty much any sort of talent from its offensive guards last year. It may be the perfect landing spot for Ioane, too, who will be protecting one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, in Lamar Jackson.
For any Ravens fans who might be unsure, Sydney Ciano, the site expert for FanSided'sPenn State siteVictory Bell Rings, has you covered. She gave the 22-year-old a glowing review. Ciano writes:
“Ioane needs the right system, but is a Round 1 pick regardless. He’s an anchor in the trenches at left guard with incredible strength and balance. His downside is as a move blocker. Ioane is not as quick when needing to adjust, but improved on that slightly in 2025 after dropping weight.”
Penn State expert confirms Baltimore Ravens got themselves a slam dunk pick in Vega Ioane
Ravens fans needed to hear this. After Lamar Jackson was injured, what felt like all year, and Derrick Henry, despite the production, being dealt a tough hand on nearly every run, it’s refreshing to see an actual reliable piece being thrown into the interior offensive line. It’s a drastic improvement from where they were with Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele in 2025.
Ioane will join recently signed guard John Simpson at the other guard spot. That’s a decent duo heading into 2026, and it has the potential to be a game-wrecking unit. If everything goes right, Ioane, FanSided's 15th ranked player on their top-50 big board, could take control and lead the way alongside the veteran Simpson.
And don’t panic about Ciano saying Ioane needs the right system. He’s going to have the ideal coach in new offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford in his ear every day at practice. Ledford is highly praised as one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL, and he was likely banging the table for Ioane once he saw him on the board. The pairing could be extremely dangerous for opposing defensive lines.
Ioane should instantly slot in as one of the best offensive linemen on the roster. He’s not going to give up much in pass protection, and has the size, power, and anchor to develop into an above-average run blocker. Everything is there for him to dominate, and there’s no doubt that he’ll be starting from the jump in his rookie year.
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