A Ravens Wish List for the Rest of the 2025 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is finally here, and to celebrate, I put together a wish list for the Ravens’ draft class. They already accomplished my top objective with their first-round pick, and I expect them to continue checking off long-term needs on Day 2.

1. Draft a free safety with a deep coverage skillset (10/10 points)

I’m a big fan of the 2025 safety class, which has more players with NFL-ready coverage skills than usual. As a result, I badly wanted to come away from the draft with a potential long-term running mate for Kyle Hamilton, with a particular interest in free safeties who can complement Hamilton’s skillset and allow him to wreak havoc around the line of scrimmage.

Enter Malaki Starks, who has long been one of my favorite first-round targets for the Ravens. I was less bullish about him falling that far than others, but teams may have been warded off by his lackluster performance at the Combine. The same thing happened with Hamilton, and look how that ended up. Starks still has slot/box versatility, but he’s at his best in a deep coverage role. He also checks every intangible box possible: work ethic, leadership, football I.Q., and durability.

In the event that the Ravens didn’t land Starks, I would’ve wanted to get Xavier Watts or Andrew Mukuba at 59. The remaining coverage-oriented safeties after that don’t tackle well enough to quickly earn snaps in Zach Orr’s defense. My biggest sleeper at the position is still Malachi Moore, who mostly played in the slot at Alabama before playing his best ball as a free safety in 2024. I think he’s just scratching the surface of his potential in that role; in the long-term, he could be a be a third safety with Hamilton and Starks who unlocks their versatility.

Moore would be a priority target on Day 3 who could contribute on special teams right away.

2. Use a premium pick on a defensive tackle and/or double-dip at the position (up to 10 points)

Finding a long-term starter along the interior of the defensive line was already a priority entering this draft. Travis Jones could price himself out of Baltimore with a strong contract year and Broderick Washington might be a cap casualty after the season. With the retirement of Michael Pierce, the Ravens’ need for DL help looms even larger.

Luckily, it’s a good year to need help in the trenches. The defensive line class is deep on all three days, giving Baltimore plenty of options with their 10 remaining picks. They should definitely use a premium pick on a defensive tackle, and there are a number of Day 3 prospects I’d want to add as well.

The depth of the class has allowed the Ravens to wait until Day 2, where I think 10 or more DTs could be drafted. My favorite projected second-rounder was Tyleik Williams, but the Lions wisely took him in the first-round after a run on the top talents. A number of others could make it to 59, but if there’s a run on the position, I would target CJ West and Ty Robinson above consensus at the end of the third round. West is a stout, explosive player who shows the kind of tenacity and effort coveted in Baltimore. Robinson is a little undersized, but he makes up for it with strength, athleticism, and a similarly Ravens-y playing style in the trenches.

My Day 3 preference would then depend on what kind of DT was already drafted. If the Ravens get a nose tackle with a Day 2, I’d target an interior disruptor with pass-rushing upside like Tonka Hemingway or Aeneas Peebles. If they pick an interior disruptor first, I would go after a NT like Deone Walker, Jamaree Caldwell, or Cam’Ron Jackson on Day 3.

3. Take a stab on a player who could be an immediate upgrade at guard and/or a long-term left tackle (up to 9 points)

The Ravens are returning all five of their starting offensive linemen from last season, but they could stand to upgrade at guard. They also need a swing tackle, preferably one with the physical and athletic upside to be a long-term replacement for Ronnie Stanley.

Reliably addressing both spots with one player is easier said than done, though. Josh Simmons Kelvin Banks could’ve fit the bill in the first round, but Banks went earlier than expected and Simmons seemed to have some character concerns (jn that case, Kansas City is a great culture/leadership landing spot.) Most of the remaining guard/tackle hybrids generally fall into one of two buckets: either they don’t project to contribute at guard early on, or they don’t have the requisite size/athleticism to be an NFL tackle.

With 11 picks, the Ravens can afford to target both guard and tackle. The list of offensive linemen I wanted to mention reached double-digits, so I’ll just name my two favorites: Aireontae Ersery and Emery Jones Jr. Ersery has the size and athleticism to succeed at tackle in the NFL, but his game needs refinement. He has experience on both sides, making him a swing tackle early on with the long-term goal of taking over at left tackle. Jones first caught my eye as a punishing blocker in LSU’s 2023 offense. Though he didn’t take the kind of step forward I was hoping for in 2024, he’s still only 21 years old with 36 SEC starts under his belt. I think he can develop into a starting guard in Baltimore with potential to back up right tackle as well. At this rate, Ersery probably doesn’t fall to 59, but Jones should be available at 91, if not early on Day 3.

4. Find a potential future starter at cornerback or edge rusher (up to 9 points)

Cornerback and edge rusher are bigger needs in the long-term than they are right now. With the priorities above, it will be hard to acquire premium prospects at both positions in this draft. So I’d be happy with a likely future starter at one position with a dart throw on Day 3, preferably on a strong athlete who will have some time to develop.

The Ravens had options at both positions in Round 1, but none were better talents than Starks. I’m not especially high on any of the Day 2 prospects at either position other than Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison. Teams seem especially wary of injury histories in this draft, so it’s possible Morrison gets to 59. UCLA’s Oluwafemi Oladejo showed plenty of promise in his first year as an edge defender in 2024 with a high floor as a run defender. As he gets more reps rushing the passer, he’ll learn to get the most out of his length, power, and explosiveness.

There are a number of players I like at both CB and EDGE on Day 3, but none I’m enamored with, so it really depends how the board falls. Denzel Burke, Zah Frazier, and Robert Longerbeam are three corners I have my eye on, while Barryn Sorrell, Quandarrius Robinson, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins would be my priority Day 3 EDGEs.

5. Add at least one linebacker with a focus on instant special impact and long-term upside as a passing-down defender (up to 5 points)

At a minimum, the Ravens need linebacker depth for defense and special teams. I still think Trenton Simpson can be an effective starter, but I’m not against bringing in competition that can impact the game on passing downs.

I don’t value the Day 2 linebackers highly-enough to take one at 59, and I don’t think they’ll fall to 91.. I’d much rather use an early Day 3 pick on Smael Mondon Jr. or Jack Kiser with a potential double-dip with Teddye Buchanan later on.

Mondon is an exciting physical prospect who, like most young linebackers entering the NFL, needs to speed up mentally to win a starting job. Kiser might have the smarts and experience to compete for a role early on, but his ceiling will be limited by his lack of elite athleticism. Buchanan is a solid athlete with great instincts as a blitzer and an underrated coverage in profile. All three would contribute on special teams right away in Baltimore.

6. Draft a wide receiver who can contribute on special teams, especially a returner (up to 4 points)

I didn’t like any of the first-round receivers enough to take at 27, and none of them got there anyway. Day 2 has a number of prospects I like, but with a stronger desire to add in the trenches, I would wait until at least 91 to take a wideout.

The Ravens would probably have to use the 59th pick on Jack Bech, Elic Ayomanor, or Tre Harris, my favorite second-round receivers (if they even fall that far). All three are tough, physical receivers who can be strong WR2s in the NFL, though their specific skillsets vary.

I’d be more interested in Kyle Williams or Tory Horton at 91, the latter of whom is my biggest WR sleeper in the entire draft. I even think there’s a chance Horton sneaks into Day 3, and I would run up the card at 129. He was extremely productive at Colorado State in 2022 and 2023 and proved he was still an elite athlete after last year’s knee injury at the Combine. He’s not as physical at the catch point as you’d want for a 6-foot-3 wideout, but I think he has all the makings of a solid WR2 in the NFL with upside as a returner to boot. Williams is also a great athlete with a good feel for getting open, but he doesn’t bring value on special teams. I still think he’s a little underrated in this draft class and firmly belongs on Day 2.

Special teams ability should be a strong priority on Day 3 given the logjam of receivers on the Ravens’ depth chart. Jaylin Lane has athleticism and return experience to contribute right away and develop into a WR3, likely in the slot. Ricky White is a common Ravens projection on Day 3 due to his blocking shops and special teams prowess. Jimmy Horn Jr. and Arian Smith are two more late dart throws with the special teams experience I’m looking for.

7. Take a running back with high physical/athletic upside or a strong profile as a third-down back (up to 3 points)

The 2025 running back class has been touted as one of the deepest in years. I think that depth is specifically concentrated on Day 3, where it’s just a matter of picking your flavor of back.

Personally, I would like to add a running back with pass-catching chops. Obviously, I don’t want a bad rusher, but I think that Lamar Jackson’s gravitational impact on the Ravens’ ground game can help average backs record above-average numbers. Elite talents like Derrick Henry will get the absolute most out of the system, but they’re typically hard to acquire. If you can’t get an elite back, I would then prioritize value.

Most RBs already can churn out yards on the ground in Baltimore, making a third-down back a better value in their offense. Finding that skillset doesn’t necessarily mean the Ravens have to give up on a stronger physical profile. Ollie Gordon and Jaydon Blue check both boxes, but will probably go earlier on Day 3 as a result. Kyle Monangai and Raheim Sanders both have less athletic upside, but their receiving and pass protection chops offer them a clear path to playing time on their rookie contract.

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