NFL
The Baltimore Ravens’ 2026 NFL draft has officially come to an end after 3 days of draft picks. The Ravens had 11 draft picks throughout 3 days of the draft and ended up with great position players. GM Eric Decosta knew going into this draft that this team was entering a new era of Baltimore Ravens football. And, every year, Eric Decosta always finds the players he wants to be in Purple and Black for the future. The 11 players they were taken will show what it takes to play and bleed the colors purple and black.
Round 1 #14: Vega Ioane G Penn State
The 1st of the Ravens’ 11 draft picks, they selected Vega Ioane, Guard, from Penn State, for the offensive line. This was a pick that was mocked in many mock drafts for Vega Ioane to the Baltimore Ravens. His run-blocking skills will help Lamar Jackson in both the running and passing attack for Jackson to make plays. Vega can slide into either the right guard or left guard and start immediately on the offensive line. This is a typical Baltimore Ravens pick, and Vega was a need and help for the OL and Lamar Jackson.
Grade: A+
Round 2 #45: Zion Young, ED, Missouri
After drafting Mike Green last year and signing Trey Hendrickson, the Ravens drafted Zion Young, bolstering the pass rush. Young is bringing his pass-rushing skills to a team that only had 30 sacks in the 2025 season. Even if he didn’t get the sacks, he was able to pressure the quarterback 53 times in 2025 at Missouri. One thing that Young can bring to the defense is his ability to stop the run. I see Zion Young as a future starting Edge Rusher for the future for this Baltimore Ravens team.
Grade: A-
Round 3 #80: Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC
With only Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman as true pass catchers, the Ravens nabbed USC wide receiver at #80. Lane has excellent ball skills, makes contested catches if he needs to against defense, and is a red zone threat. His presence is something that Lamar Jackson has been lacking, a big body type of a wide receiver. I view this pick as a value pick because the Ravens need some playmakers, along with Zay Flowers. Ja’Kobi Lane can be a solid #3 WR behind both Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman during his rookie year.
Grade: B
Round 4 #115: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
For the 2nd consecutive round, the Ravens double down on WRs by selecting Elijah Sarratt from Indiana. Sarratt went to high school in Baltimore at St.Frances Academy, will get the chance to play for his hometown. He plays with good route-running skills, and when need be, he can be a serious deep threat. Elijah Sarratt has been getting some comparisons to that of Courtland Sutton and Keenan Allen, both AFC West receivers. With his skill set and route running, I believe he can be a future #1 receiver in a few years.
Grade: A-
Round 4 #133: Matthew Hibner, TE, SMU
With their 2nd pick in the 4th round, the Ravens took Tight End Matthew Hibner from SMU. After losing both Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likley, the Ravens need help in the tight end room. Hibner has great hands and excels in running after catching the ball, and is a polished, passing catch tight end. With Mark Andrews getting up in age, Hibner can learn and potentially become a future #1 tight end in Baltimore. Eric Decosta knew that he needed to address the Tight End in the draft, and got one in Matthew Hibner.
Grade: A
Round 5 #162: Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
With 3 5th round picks, the Ravens went Cornerback with their 1st 5th round by selecting Chandler Rivers from Duke. Rivers, a slot corner, had a pretty solid 2025 season despite being only 5’10 and 185 pounds. In 2025, he had 6 pass breakups and 2 interceptions while being in the slot cornerback position. Rivers adds more needed depth at the cornerback position, which is already pretty big when looking at it. And, with Marlon Humphrey potentially a cap casualty on June 1st, Rivers can be looked become a starter in 2026.
Grade: B+
Round 5 Pick #173: Josh Cuevas, TE, Alabama
After selecting Matthew Hibner in the 4th round, the Ravens double down on tight by selecting Josh Cuevas from Alabama. This is the 5th time in history that the Ravens have taken 2 tight ends in the NFL draft. Cuevas had excellent blocking skills, like Charlie Kolar did when he was in Baltimore before leaving in FA. And will be in a lot of running schemes for Derrick Henry and the Offensive line. The Ravens, when drafting 2 tight ends, have a lot of good history when it comes to that.
Grade: B-
Round 5 Pick #174: Adam Randall, RB, Clemson
With the 3rd pick in the 5th round, the Ravens selected running back Adam Randall from Clemson University. I see a lot of Derrick Henry and Ray Rice in Adam Randall when looking at his game film. Randall will learn a lot from future Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry in this running back room. He will start at the bottom, but with the right development, he could become a lead back for the Ravens. And, the Ravens love to run the ball, and Adam Randall will be a player who will fit perfectly.
Grade: A-
Round 6 #211: Ryan Eckley, P, Michigan State
With Jordan Stout leaving via free agency to the New York Giants, the Ravens need to find his replacement. They selected the 1st punter off the board by selecting Ryan Eckley from Michigan State. In 2025, Eckley averaged 48.5 yards per punt, which ranked 1st in college football and the Big Ten. He can also pin their opponents inside their own 20 yards by downing 20 punts within the 20 in 2025. Eckley now has 2 jobs, where he punts the ball, and is the holder on field goal attempts.
Grade: B+
Round 7 #250: Rayshuan Benny, DT, Michigan
Rayshuan Benny is coming to play with his old defensive coordinator from Michigan, now head coach Jesse Minter. Benny will give Baltimore a much-needed boost of depth on the defensive line for 2026. Most likely, he will be a rotational piece in 2026 for the defensive line if someone gets hurt. Benny will have a chance to show that he can be on this team for the foreseeable future in Baltimore. Luckily, with Jesse Minter as his head coach will get his fair share of opportunities that are present to him.
Grade: B-
Round 7 #253: Evan Beerntsen, G, Northwestern
The Baltimore Ravens started the draft by selecting a guard, and ended the draft by selecting a guard. Beerntsen will have a lot of work to do throughout all training camps to make the 52-man roster. Just like Vega Ioane, Beerntsen didn’t allow a single sack while at Northwestern, but did 5 penalties. His age is a factor; he will be 26, which makes him one of the older prospects coming out of college. If he can show flashes in training camp, then Beernsten will either be a rotational piece or a practice squad member.
Grade: B-
Overall Thoughts:
The 2026 NFL draft is officially in the books, and the Baltimore Ravens came away with 11 hungry draft picks. There will be some players who could make contributions right away, some within a few years. When looking at this team, the Baltimore Ravens are in win mode now for a Super Bowl title. With a new coaching staff, this team could turn the tide when it comes to executing plays on both sides. And, the Baltimore Ravens knows as long as Lamar Jackson is their quarterback, this team will be in contention. And with, these draft picks the Ravens are looking forward to the 2026 NFL season and beyond.
Overall Draft Grade: A-
