2025 NFL Draft – Ravens Recap

The 30th draft in Ravens team history is now complete. 

Since 1996, Baltimore has drafted 255 players (256 if you count their 2007 supplemental draft selection of Maryland OT Jared Gaither). 

The Ravens heavily favor receivers, having drafted at least one in seven of the last eight years. This year, for the first time, Baltimore drafted a kicker. Baltimore also drafted three offensive lineman one year after finishing 1st in rushing yards, rushing yards per carry, and rushes of at least 20 yards. 

The headline, though, is former Georgia safety and 1st-Team All-American Malaki Starks falling into the Ravens’ lap at No. 27 overall. I’m still is disbelief as to how that happened, but am nonetheless excited, because Baltimore has an excellent track record of drafting safeties in the 1st-round: 

• Ed Reed, 24th overall, 2002 

• Matt Elam, 32nd overall, 2013 

• Kyle Hamilton, 14th overall, 2022 

• Malaki Starks, 27th overall, 2025 

In all, Baltimore selected 11 players in this year’s draft: four on offense, six on defense, and one on special teams. Here is the full list of the Ravens’ 2025 draft picks: 

• 1-27 Malaki Starks, S, Georgia 

• 2-59 Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall 

• 3-91 Emery Jones, Jr., OT, LSU 

• 4-129 Teddye Buchanan, ILB, California 

• 5-141 Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M 

• 6-178 Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan 

• 6-186 Tyler Loop, K, Arizona 

• 6-203 LaJohntay Wester, WR/PR, Colorado 

• 6-210 Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech 

• 6-212 Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers 

• 7-243 Garrett Dellinger, IOL, LSU 

Here is the list of the Ravens’ undrafted free agent signings (as of 9:30 pm ET on Saturday April 26): 

• Arkansas CB Marquise Robinson 

• Auburn DL Jayson Jones 

• Iowa ILB Jay Higgins 

• Miami (OH) OT Reid Holskey 

• Monmouth RB Sone Ntoh 

• Nebraska WR Jahmal Banks 

• Oregon State OT Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan 

• Rutgers S Desmond Igbinosun 

The first thing many seek at the conclusion of the draft is evaluation. How did this team do? There will be no draft grades here. The players that were drafted didn’t magically get better or worse since the draft began on Thursday night. In my opinion, any grade given to a draft is meaningless until 2-3 years have passed. 

That said, the Ravens clearly upgraded their secondary and offensive line—their two biggest positions of need. Baltimore was really bad on the back end last year, ranking 30th in passes of 20-plus yards allowed and 31st in passing yards allowed. They were 2nd in the league in sacks, so you know pressure was applied, but the defensive backs and linebackers in pass coverage played way below a level that’s acceptable. 

As noted, the rushing offense ranked 1st in the league in 2024, so why select three offensive linemen? Lamar Jackson needs to be protected at all costs…simple as that. 

As for projected positions, though premature, we have some idea as to where these players will slot in the depth chart. Starks figures to be the Week 1 (free) safety, alongside Kyle Hamilton (and Ar’Darius Washington, pending Zach Orr’s gameplan). Starks is a leader, a standout performer, a high-IQ player, and someone who seems to have All-Pro potential. Those kinds of players and gamechangers and need to be on the field as much as possible. 

At first, Green should play often on special teams and feature on long yardage downs as a pass rusher. I think his run defense, particularly against AFC North teams, will dictate the bulk of his playing time. 

Jones figures to be the key swing tackle, replacing Patrick Mekari who left for Jacksonville in free agency. His toughness and power could even elevate him to feature on formations with an extra tackle, as we know Todd Monken likes to do often. 

Tyler Loop will challenge Justin Tucker in camp, which is ironic, because when Tucker came into the league in 2012 as an undrafted free agent, he had to challenge Billy Cundiff, who himself was coming off the worst (and likely, the most stressful) offseason of his career. 

In 2011, Cundiff’s FG percentage dropped 14.0 percent from the previous year. In 2024, Tucker’s FG percentage dropped 13.2 percent from the previous year. Weird. 

At his post-draft press conference, Eric DeCosta mentioned how he thinks LaJohntay Wester could provide the spark the Ravens were missing last year at punt returner. He also mentioned how Teddye Buchanan and his “plus” movement skills should present a lot of value on passing downs and on special teams. 

While rankings and grades are pointless at this juncture, it is worth noting that the Ravens were an excellent team last year, and over the last three days, they absolutely improved their roster in all phases. How much is to be determined. 

What’s next? The NFL will release it’s 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday, May 14th, and the Ravens will begin their organized team activities on Tuesday, May 27th.  

Week 1 will be here before we know it.