Griffin Wong previews and breaks down everything you need to know about the Baltimore Ravens heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.
As it so often has in recent seasons, the Baltimore Ravens’ 2025 campaign ended in drama and heartbreak. The Ravens survived a 1-5 start and a four-game absence by two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson to come within a stone’s throw of the postseason, but with a chance to ice the division, rookie kicker Tyler Loop sliced the 44-yard field goal wide right, gifting the Pittsburgh Steelers the game and the division. It marked the first time that Baltimore has missed the playoffs since 2021, when Jackson suffered a season-ending injury in Week 14.
Still, assuming Jackson and running back Derrick Henry remain healthy, the Ravens project to be contenders again in 2026. They made major moves in the offseason, firing head coach John Harbaugh and replacing him with former Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Then, Baltimore also made major moves to shore up its defense, agreeing to terms with defensive end Trey Hendrickson and safety Jaylinn Hawkins. As a result of Jackson’s brilliance and their aggressive roster reconstruction, the Ravens (+1000) currently have the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re -120 favorites to return to the top of the AFC North.
As a competitive franchise, Baltimore has tended to pick late in the first round, but it clearly values its draft capital, making at least one first-round selection in each season since 2013. It’s made some pretty shrewd moves: 2022 14th overall pick Kyle Hamilton became a two-time All-Pro selection, and the team’s fourth-rounder that season, Isaiah Likely, is currently the starting tight end. The Ravens nearly didn’t have a first-rounder to work with this season, shipping both their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby, but that trade was ultimately rescinded after Crosby failed his physical. Overall, Baltimore has 11 picks to use this weekend.
The Ravens still have a pretty well-rounded roster, with multiple Pro Bowlers on both offense and defense, so despite their poor record last season, their improvements are closer to gravy than necessity. They also filled their biggest weakness with the Hendrickson signing, as they finished third-to-last in both sacks and Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grades last regular season. Baltimore still has some more work to do in the front seven in the wake of Kyle Van Noy’s retirement, but Hendrickson — the NFL’s sack leader in 2024 — is a great start. John Simpson was also a sensible signing to help shore up the offensive line after Tyler Linderbaum’s departure, though he ranked just 50th among 79 qualified guards by PFF’s standards.
Even after signing Simpson, the Ravens are projected to draft an offensive lineman (+130 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook) in the first round, with wide receiver (+270), tight end (+425), and defensive line (+475) following closely behind. Given Jackson’s talent, his aggressive play style, and his recent injury history, Baltimore’s utmost priority should be protecting him, especially since he’ll turn 30 shortly after the regular season ends. He was sacked on 10.65% of his drop-backs last season, which trailed only Geno Smith, and while some of those were his fault — he ranked third in share of drop-backs in which he bore at least partial responsibility for pressure, per PFF — the Ravens still posted the eighth-worst pass blocking grades overall. Baltimore is widely mocked to Olaivavega Ioane, the consensus top interior offensive lineman, and he could pair nicely with Simpson, who projects to line up on the right. It’s also possible that the Ravens could opt for a tackle, where the class — led by Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano, Monroe Freeling, and Kadyn Proctor — is much deeper. Guard is probably a bigger need than tackle, since Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten are above-average starters, but if one of the top tackles is available, they could shift over to guard.
Otherwise, Baltimore could stand to add to its skill position core. While Jackson and Henry form arguably the best quarterback-running back duo in the league and Zay Flowers is a two-time Pro Bowler at wide receiver, the Ravens don’t have much depth beyond Flowers. Last season, Flowers managed 1,211 receiving yards, 881 more than any other wideout, and DeAndre Hopkins, who finished second among the team’s wideouts in receiving yards last season, remains an unsigned free agent. Even if Baltimore re-signs Hopkins, adding a wide receiver to provide a buffer against the veteran’s injury concerns or further statistical decline might be prescient. The Ravens will also eventually need to find a replacement for veteran tight end Mark Andrews, who will turn 31 early in the season. Thankfully for Baltimore, both the wideout and tight end classes are deep. Though Carnell Tate will almost certainly be off the board, at least one of Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon should be available, as will consensus top tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Tyson and Lemon both project primarily as slot receivers, though Tyson is more well-rounded. Lemon and Sadiq have better ball skills than Tyson, who struggled with some drops in college, which could be crucial given that Jackson — even at his absolute best — is prone to more off-target throws than the average passer.
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