In less than three weeks, the 2025 NFL Draft will get underway from Green Bay. Baltimore currently holds 11 picks, with its first scheduled to be made at No. 27 overall.
While the Ravens often do their best work in the middle rounds, they have a great opportunity to solidify their starting lineup on April 24th, as the three players listed below should be available and, if selected by the Ravens, would likely be Day 1 starters.
When need and the best player available intersect is often where you find a Ravens draft pick. Here are my Top 3 targets, in order, to be selected by the Ravens in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Grey Zabel
Position on Ravens: Starting left guard (backup LT)
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 312
PFF/NFL Next Gen Stats grade: 90.6, 87
Key college stats:
- 3-time high school state champion
- 2-time FCS National Champion
- 2024 AP 1st-Team All-American
Analysis: Grey Zabel has All-Pro potential written all over him. There’s so much to like about him. His size is just right. His technique is excellent. His flaws are correctable. His mentality is exactly what you’d want from a Raven.
At North Dakota State, Zabel played 96.7 percent of his snaps at either left or right tackle. However, at the Senior Bowl, he played mostly right guard and center. That’s important to note because on short notice, he was able to dominate whoever lined up against him.
Zabel’s biggest strengths are his footwork and hand placement. At the snap, his feet stay underneath him. He doesn’t over set, and therefore, doesn’t risk losing balance. He’s a “clean climber”—meaning, when climbing to the second level, he shows very little wasted movement and is intentional in identifying his target. His ability to play in either zone or gap schemes is evident, and displays impressive lateral ability to seal off linebackers.
The only issue I had with his tape is when he struggled to keeping his hands engaged against (speed) rushers who use spin moves. He didn’t get beat outright, but those kinds of rushes gave Zabel enough problems to where his hands got outside the players’ frame and he held his defender.
Ronnie Stanley was just extended and Baltimore has a need for someone to take ownership of the left guard spot. That said, Zabel seems to be a perfect pick for both the current Ravens team and the future Ravens team. Zabel played all of his 961 snaps last year at left tackle, so by the time Stanley and the Ravens part ways, Zabel should have properly acclimated to the speed of the NFL.
Shavon Revel
Position on Ravens: Starting cornerback (alongside Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 194
PFF/NFL Next Gen Stats grade: 84.0, 84
Key college stats:
- PFF 1st-Team All-Conference (2023)
- 55 total tackles, 12 passes defensed, 3.5 TFL, 1 interception (2023)
Analysis: Shavon Revel’s college career was cut short when he tore his left ACL in a Week 4 practice last season. Since then, his rehab has gone very well. So well, in fact, that nearly six months ago, he was seen in this post running on a treadmill at 21 miles per hour. He fills the biggest need the Ravens have.
In 2024 Baltimore surrendered the 2nd-most pass yards and 3rd-most completions of 20-plus yards in the league. Though Revel has recovered from a serious injury, that injury history should cause enough hesitation among teams picking before the Ravens to enable Revel to remain available at No. 27.
As far as his film goes, there’s a lot to like. Revel’s best attribute is his physicality at the point of attack. He seems to be who the Ravens wanted Brandon Stephen to be last year—that versatile cornerback who can defend tight ends in the slot and the wide receiver fade inside the red zone.
The Ravens play a lot of zone coverage, which plays into Revel’s strengths. He’s good at man-to-man coverage, but if he doesn’t get a solid jam, he can get fooled and beaten by double moves. If he’s allowed to press, or the receiver does not run a double move, man coverage doesn’t give him many problems.
Revel’s zone awareness and ball tracking is superior to most other cornerbacks in this class. He’s able to sort out stacked route concepts and track the receiver with relative ease on deep crossers. His closing speed is deceptive, in that it doesn’t necessarily jump out at you, but it does put him in position to break up passes.
Another reason he’d be a strong fit for the Ravens is his tackling. His comfortability in press coverage contributes to his success when disengaging blocks. He displays impressive tackling consistency, which, as we all know, is lacking at every level of football these days.
His play style is actually reminiscent of Marlon Humphrey’s. They both like to mix it up, and thus, will get beat from time to time. However, more times than not, they thrive when defending the opposition’s best receiver, whether that be making a timely interception, breaking up a pass on third down, or stamping the ball carrier on a key short yardage play. They play their best ball in a phonebooth.
Malaki Starks
Position on Ravens: Starting safety (opposite Kyle Hamilton) and key special teamer
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 197
PFF/NFL Next Gen Stats grade: 78.3, 78
Key college stats:
- 2022 CFP National Champion
- AP 2nd-Team All-American
- SEC 1st-Team
- Jim Thorpe Award finalist (best DB in the nation)
- Chuck Bednarik Award semi-finalist (best defender in the nation)
- High school team and individual track and field state champion
- 10.55 100-meter dash
- 23’7” long jump
Analysis: Baltimore already has the league’s best safety in Kyle Hamilton, and Ar’Darius Washington played lights out in 2024. Safety is a need, though, as Baltimore’s backups at the position are Sanoussi Kane (2024 7th-round pick) and Beau Brade. Those two players have a combined two years and 12 tackles between them.
Wherever he’s lined up, Starks would contribute immediately if drafted by the Ravens. Considering his versatility and Zach Orr’s preference to move his DBs around the defensive backfield, it seems like a seamless fit.
In 2024 alone, Starks lined up over 200 times each at slot corner, box defender, and deep safety. It’s long been Baltimore’s philosophy to win the AFC North first. To do that, specifically on defense, it needs to defend the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, DK Metcalf, David Njoku, and Amari Cooper. Those players are too good and their coaching staffs are too experienced for the Ravens to draft a one-dimensional defensive back.
When looking at his film, Starks displays calculated pursuit when closing on run plays. In pass defense, he tracks the deep ball as well as anyone in this class. Depending on play action and down/distance, he can get to a drop zone or close space and break down with instant change of speed and direction.
That said, according to Pro Football Focus, Starks allowed a quarterback rating of 99.4 last season. In all honesty, I didn’t see that kind of performance when watching him. He didn’t have the cleanest tape, but he made more plays than he missed by a wide margin.
Similar to Hamilton, Starks shines against reduced formations and in the red zone. He’s able to perfectly time a jump ball deep down the field as easily as he’s able to sift through blockers to bring down the ball carrier in short yardage situations.
The key to unlocking his potential is to simplify his role on the defense.
Born in Baltimore, Mike had long been drawn to sports of all kinds. Growing up watching Cal Ripken play ever day gave him a great example for which to attack every endeavor he undertakes.
When the Ravens came to town, though, that’s when Mike found his passion. Since that time, he’s tried to gain every bit of knowledge he could. Now as a high school coach, Mike is able to take his film study and appreciation of the game to a new level.
To engage with Mike on social media, follow him on Twitter @MikeFastNFL.