Vega Ioane showed why Ravens were excited to draft him in his first NFL game

Vega Ioane is here. The rookie first-round pick made his NFL debut on Sunday, and there was plenty to like. Through the ups and downs, he showed exactly why the Baltimore Ravens were so excited to draft him.

The Ravens desperately needed a boost along their interior offensive line. They couldn’t afford to have another incapable guard duo. At his best, Ioane has shown he could be that savior for the offense.

While Ioane struggled in pass protection at times, specifically with holding penalties, he did just enough to contribute to an explosive passing attack. In the run game, it was a whole different story—he helped make the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive front a non-factor.

That’s just his first NFL game, too. Inconsistent results are bound to happen, but Ioane made it clear that his ceiling is sky-high.

Vega Ioane looked strong in his Baltimore Ravens debut

When you’re an offensive lineman, sometimes all that catches the eye are the plays you didn’t make or the back-breaking penalties that ruin a drive. Vega Ioane wasn’t free from those, as he was tagged for two holding penalties, both of which wiped out a first down.

Those can be chalked up to rookie mistakes, though. They should be easy to clean up. Especially given Ioane had 0 holding penalties throughout his college career at Penn State.

More importantly, Ioane’s bright moments shone through the clouds those mistakes brought in the season opener.

In fact, Ioane’s 73.0 Pro Football Focus grade ranked him as the fifth-best player on the Ravens offense on Sunday, and the best player on the offensive line. That also placed him as the third-best rookie offensive lineman in Week 1.

Most notably, Ioane registered a very strong 76.0 run-blocking grade. Clearing out defenders in the run game may not have been his calling card in college, but it certainly was in his debut.

His grade holds up on tape, too. He was truly snatching souls out there, flattening player after player, and paving the way for Derrick Henry to put up 144 rushing yards, 6 yards per carry, and 3 touchdowns.

Clearly, he has that dirty, mean mentality that you see from the best offensive lineman in the league. It doesn’t matter when, where, or how; he wants to put you in the dirt, and he did so in a punishing manner. One pancake at a time.

And let’s not forget Ioane was as stable as it gets in pass protection at Penn State. He allowed just 3 sacks as a Nittany Lion, and that number dropped to 0 over his final two seasons. Ioane can be a reliable anchor when his quarterback drops back to pass.

That ability may take some time to develop at the NFL level. Declan Doyle’s passing attack can ask for more out of the offensive line technically, and Dwayne Ledford’s speed-off-the-ball philosophy needs his guys firing on all cylinders at all times.

Still, Vega Ioane looked the part in Week 1. Mistakes or not, he played a big role in Baltimore’s dominant 41-23 win. There are definitely areas to clean up, but the potential he came into the NFL with was on full display.

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