Best And Worst-Case Scenarios for the Ravens in Round 1

There are (almost) always 32 picks in the first round of the NFL draft, but rarely are there 32 players with clear first-round talent. That presents an annual problem for teams picking late in the first round, where the Ravens so often find themselves. This year, for example, most teams and draft experts have 20 to 25 first-round grades. (The Bills have just 12! I personally have 22.) By the time Baltimore is on the clock, all of their desired targets could be off the board.

The Ravens should hope for the best, but prepare for the worst with the 27th overall pick. At a minimum, they should have a list of 27 players they would use their first-round pick on. If the phone isn’t ringing for a trade and the clock is ticking down, Eric DeCosta will have at least one name he’s willing to take by default. But, just listing 27 names is a little boring, so let’s take a look at the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Ravens’ first-round pick.

Best Case

A true first-round talent is available at 27

The best case is obvious: a true first-round talent falls to the Ravens. DeCosta is no stranger to seeing coveted targets fall to him – Kyle Hamilton in 2022, Nate Wiggins in 2024 – and he’ll be hoping it happens again tonight.

In my view, the most realistic true first-rounders that could fall to the Ravens are (click for our scouting reports) S Malaki Starks, DT Derrick Harmon, OT Josh Simmons, and EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku. All four are high-upside talents who could contribute right away and address a long-term need: a textbook use of a first-round pick. I have them ranked in the order listed above, but I would be happy with any one of them.

• Starks has been a popular mock to the Ravens, for good reason. He’s my favorite realistic pick at 27 and a top-10 talent in this draft class. His smooth movement skills and instincts in coverage would make him an excellent Robin to Hamilton’s Batman. Starks is still versatile, but with a more coverage-oriented playstyle that would free up Hamilton to make plays around the line of scrimmage. Starks checks all the boxes I’m looking for in an NFL-ready free safety with All-Pro upside.
• Harmon only scratched the surface of his potential during his senior year after transferring to Oregon, and I think the Ravens will get the best out of him. He has the size/athleticism combo to succeed in NFL trenches with active, instinctive hand usage to beat blocks. He could be an interior disruptor to pair with Nnamdi Madubuike for the foreseeable future.
• Simmons has the tape of a first-round offensive tackle, but a knee injury has dropped his stock. Multiple recent reports of a solid recovery and potential readiness for training camp may shoot Simmons up the last-minute mocks, but teams have probably made up their minds about his health. He could compete for a starting guard job as a rookie, but the Ravens wouldn’t have to rush him if he takes longer to return to the field. He’ll still be in play at guard in 2026 but clearly profiles as a potential long-term replacement for Ronnie Stanley. It’s never too early to start looking for another left tackle.
• In my opinion, Ezeiruaku belongs with the other second-tier EDGE prospects (Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, Mike Green, Shemar Stewart), but he seems to be the most likely to fall to the Ravens. Ezeiruaku is a tad undersized, but he’s an excellent athlete who already has an excellent feel for winning as a pass rusher with a burgeoning toolbag of moves and counters. Ezeiruaku has the length to set the edge, but he’ll need to add more power to his game to be an impact player on all three downs. He’ll have a little time to do that in Baltimore as he primarily spends his rookie year hunting quarterbacks.

The only other first-round talent that might fall to the Ravens is LB Jihaad Campbell.

Prospect Profile: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

He’s an excellent prospect, but I wouldn’t advocate for using more premium draft capital on the position. Still, going best-player-available with an Alabama linebacker wouldn’t be the least Ravens-y thing in the world…

Worst Case

All preferred first-round targets are off the board, a true BPA scenario

I’d be a little surprised if Shedeur Sanders fell late into the first round, but based on the latest reports, it’s within the range of outcomes. Combine that with a focus on defensive linemen and offensive tackles in the first 26 picks, and the Ravens could be in a situation where all of their first-round grades and their next highest-graded targets at priority positions are off the board. Here’s a rough stab at what that might look like:

Obviously, the Ravens may prefer to trade back in this scenario, but teams wanting to move up for Sanders or Jaxson Dart are probably targeting the last three picks in the first round. It would cost less in draft capital and result in a slightly cheaper rookie contract than coming all the way up to 27.

If Baltimore has to stick and pick, I think there are three likely outcomes. The first is Texas A&M EDGE Nic Scourton, who has been less heralded than college teammate Shemar Stewart due to a lack of elite measurables. But he’s a high-motor, physical edge with excellent instincts against the run and the pass. DeCosta has prioritized youth in the first round as GM, and Scourton will still be just 20 years old when his name is called in the draft. This would be a bet that Chuck Smith can develop Scourton’s quickness and power into a more refined, complete edge defender in Baltimore.

The other two options in a worst-case scenario are position groups: offensive line and cornerback. The Ravens have continually declined to invest in the guard position, so I’d be a little surprised if they drafted Tyler Booker. However, Daniel Faalele is entering the last year of his contract, and Booker’s leadership and playing styles fit Baltimore perfectly. Josh Conerly Jr. is an excellent athlete who could be a long-term left tackle, but he doesn’t profile as a player who can quickly transition to guard and contribute early on in his career. That’s a dicey use of a first-round pick, but left tackles don’t exactly grow on trees. Donovan Jackson mostly played guard in at Ohio State and held up at left tackle after Simmons’ injury. His ability to contribute right away at guard and develop at tackle could fit what the Ravens are looking for, but he may not be enough of a high-end talent to merit a first-round pick. Gray Zabel, an older, small-school offensive lineman who likely profiles best on the interior, would be a real surprise at No. 27.

I think this last scenario isn’t being talked about enough: cornerback The Ravens let Brandon Stephens walk in free agency and signed Chidobe Awuzie to a one-year, veteran-minimum deal. Marlon Humphrey played some of the best football in his career out of the slot last season, so Baltimore could look to add a long-term outside cornerback to pair with Wiggins. T.J. Tampa could develop into a starter, but there’s nothing wrong with drafting a more talented player if the opportunity presents itself. With so much talent elsewhere in the secondary, the Ravens need a solid boundary CB2 that will hold up when targeted. The primary candidates would be Trey Amos and Maxwell Hairston. Amos has the size, coverage skills, and experience to push for a starting cornerback job right away. His ceiling is limited by his lack of elite athleticism and ball production, but I’m confident in his high floor.

As for Hairston: what’s better than one Nate Wiggins?

That’s right: two Nate Wiggins! (Wiggenses? Wiggini?) The Ravens’ 2024 first-rounder was younger and more polished coming out of college, but I do see some similarities between the two. They’re both long, speedy corners with alpha mentalities and playmaking skillsets in coverage who can get a little grabby and face a weight/strength deficit in the NFL. The Ravens can never have too many cornerbacks, and Hairston fits the profile of what the team coveted in the position just last year.

Obviously, there are other potential picks at running back, wide receiver, and safety, but I’m not a big fan of those talent pools at the end of the first round. Tight end should be a non-starter unless the Ravens move Mark Andrews or Isaiah Likely.

Running back: Only the truly elite running backs are worth investing premium resources in, and none in this class except for Ashton Jeanty meet that standard.

Wide receiver: They’re very different players, but Emeka Egbuka and Matthew Golden both offer high floors with their versatile all-around skillsets. Both have enough talent to merit a late first-round pick, but wide receiver isn’t one of the positions I would prioritize for the Ravens. I would be against taking Luther Burden due to a lack of physicality and downfield separation ability.

Safety: Nick Emmanwori may share some physical and athletic traits with Hamilton, but he doesn’t have the coverage chops I’m looking for in this year’s safety class. His short-area movement skills will get exploited in the slot and he has a ways to go mentally before he can be trusted as a deep safety. If the Ravens can’t land Starks in Round 1, I would much rather them wait for a coverage-oriented safety on Day 2 like Xavier Watts or Andrew Mukuba.

The post Best And Worst-Case Scenarios for the Ravens in Round 1 appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/04/24/ravens-draft-central/best-worst-case-round-one/