With the Ravens coming away with an 11-man class in the 2026 NFL draft and now turning their attention toward rookie minicamp in Owings Mills this weekend, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. The state of the center position reinforces why entering draft weekend with urgent needs isn’t ideal. All it took was two teams taking Logan Jones and Jake Slaughter earlier than expected for Baltimore to be shut out. Time will reveal if Eric DeCosta was too low on subsequent center prospects.
2. Whether the starting Week 1 center is currently on the roster or not, the presence of Vega Ioane should help mitigate that individual’s deficiencies. You won’t find a cleaner prospect at guard, and some talent evaluators believe Ioane was the best pass blocker in this draft class — regardless of position.
3. Asked at his introductory press conference about being the youngest of nine children, Ioane remarked that he has brothers still bigger than him who “used to beat my ass all the time.” Do any of them play center? No wonder he’s so tough.
4. Opinions vary on what pass-rush production Zion Young will bring at the next level, but the upside exceeds Tavius Robinson and reminds some of ex-Raven Za’Darius Smith. It’s worth noting Smith took a few years to truly blossom, but Young’s ability to play the run gives him a higher floor.
5. The size and speed of Ja’Kobi Lane give him the higher ceiling, but the strength and fit in the slot could give Elijah Sarratt the inside track to immediate playing time. The chemistry Sarratt had with Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza makes it easier to envision Lamar Jackson trusting him early.
6. Though using back-to-back picks at wide receiver was surprising, I also remember this organization’s frustrating risk aversion at the position for many years. Considering how expensive Zay Flowers is about to become, the Ravens needed to take some swings to add more pass-catching talent on the cheap.
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7. DeCosta trading up to draft Matt Hibner raised some eyebrows, but the Ravens believe his speed will translate to more production as he continues developing. Meanwhile, Josh Cuevas is a hybrid blocker who can line up as a blocking tight end or fullback.
8. The Ravens may not have used an early-round pick on a corner you’d clearly envision replacing Marlon Humphrey, but Chandler Rivers doesn’t shy away from undercutting routes and going after the football as a tackler. That latter skill certainly reminds of what Humphrey likes to do.
9. Steve Bisciotti’s great interest in the draft was hardly a secret, but the owner picking Clemson running back Adam Randall as his own fifth-round selection pokes holes in arguments stating how important late-round picks are. That said, Randall should be a really interesting prospect to watch.
10. Ryan Eckley became the fourth punter to be drafted in franchise history. Whether he develops into a first-team All-Pro selection like Jordan Stout or not, I much preferred waiting until the sixth round to draft him rather than using another fourth-round selection. Sam Koch was a sixth-round choice too.
11. Evan Beerntsen will be days away from his 26th birthday by Week 1 after spending seven years in college, which prompted a “Tommy Boy” reference from a certain unnamed reporter. Still, that’ll be a quality seventh-round pick if he even sticks as a backup interior lineman for a few seasons.
12. I had to laugh at some of the overreaction to the Ravens giving undrafted quarterbacks Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano three-year deals as though that isn’t standard for rookie free agents. Baltimore was always going to add another quarterback or two behind Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Much ado about nothing.
