Ravens 2026 NFL Draft takeaways: Baltimore got bigger and tougher but holes remain

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They diversified their wide receiver group, struck early to get a plug-and-play guard and added depth at critical defensive positions edge rusher and cornerback. There were also a few unexpected developments. The Ravens didn’t draft a natural center, which was viewed as one of their top needs. They waited until late in the seventh round to draft an interior defensive lineman, one of the thinnest positions on the roster. DeCosta, who loves to wheel-and-deal during the draft, also made just one trade, moving back in the fourth round to select SMU tight end Matthew Hibner. The Ravens, though, still made 11 total picks and that’s the exact number they had when the draft started Thursday night. The Ravens focused on offense early, using six of their first eight selections on that side of the ball. They prioritized adding physicality and bulk, starting that trend early with guard Vega Ioane and continuing it with a thick and sturdy outside linebacker, two big wide receivers and a 6-foot-3, 232-pound running back. The Ravens will get their first look at their draft class next week with the start of their rookie minicamp. There weren’t a ton of players with legitimate first-round grades in this draft, but that didn’t stop the Ravens from ranking the board accordingly. And Missouri edge rusher Zion Young was comfortably ranked well within their top 32 players. The Ravens were surprised when they were on the clock at No. 45 in the second round and Young was still available. The Ravens believe that he fits them perfectly with his physicality, edge-setting capabilities and pass-rushing upside. There were other players that they really liked at No. 45, including Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell and Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers. However, they couldn’t resist Young. He was the 10th edge rusher selected. DeCosta also got really good value in selecting Duke cornerback Chandler Rivers at No. 162 in the fifth round. Rivers was the draft’s 12th-ranked corner by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, and a 2024 AP All-American. It wasn’t a surprise that the Ravens selected a receiver. They didn’t bring back DeAndre Hopkins or Tylan Wallace and wide receiver was considered one of the team’s biggest needs. They essentially had Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and then several young and unproven receiver options. However, it was slightly surprising who the Ravens drafted and when they selected him. The Ravens used their third-round pick at No. 80 on USC receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. The Ravens view the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Lane as the type of weapon that they’ve lacked in recent years. The drafting of Lane and Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt in back-to-back rounds certainly diversifies the wide receiver group. Lane, however, was drafted earlier than most draft pundits expected. He was not widely considered a top-100 guy. Brugler had him as the draft’s 24th best receiver. He was the 13th one taken. One of the biggest needs for the Ravens heading into this draft was a starting center after they lost three-time Pro Bowl selection Tyler Linderbaum in free agency and didn’t replace him with a veteran. The thought was that the Ravens would target one of the draft’s top centers and he’d be a plug-and-play guy. However, the Ravens were clearly taken by surprise with how early the run on centers started with Iowa’s Logan Jones, seen as the most probable Linderbaum replacement, going off the board late in the second round to the Chicago Bears. He was viewed as a likely mid-to-late third-round pick. Florida center Jake Slaughter then was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers six picks later, also earlier than he was projected to be drafted. The Ravens apparently weren’t enamored with the other options because they watched as another center (Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn III) was selected in the third round, Auburn’s Connor Lew went in the fourth and Kansas State’s Sam Hecht, Alabama’s Parker Brailsford and Kentucky’s Jager Burton came off the board in the fifth. Baltimore’s internal center options include Danny Pinter, Corey Bullock and Jovaughn Gwyn. That trio has combined for 10 career starts, all by Pinter. There’s still time for the Ravens to find an upgrade. Until they do, regardless of how much better they are at guard with the additions of John Simpson and Ioane, it’s going to be hard to consider the offensive line significantly improved — and that was one of DeCosta’s biggest offseason priorities. As discussed above, the Ravens exited the draft without any clarity to their starting center situation. There’s no obvious free agent available to fill that need, so DeCosta and company may have to explore trade possibilities. The other big need going forward is the interior defensive line. The Ravens are cautiously optimistic that Nnamdi Madubuike will be able to return in 2026 after missing just about all of last season because of a neck injury that required recent surgery. Still, even if Madubuike returns and the Ravens hold onto Broderick Washington, who is coming off Achilles surgery and has been oft-mentioned as an offseason cut candidate, the Ravens still need more depth. This has been an offseason of change for the Ravens, with Jesse Minter replacing John Harbaugh, a new coaching staff coming in and a number of free-agent defections. However, the Ravens still have Lamar Jackson and when he’s healthy and engaged, Baltimore typically wins. Jackson has been in the building taking part in the voluntary workouts and strengthening his relationship with Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. That’s hugely important for the Ravens. Meanwhile, DeCosta still has work to do, but this is often where he does some of his best deals, finding bargains on the depleted free-agent market and solidifying his roster by signing veterans looking to make a run at a Super Bowl. The Ravens got better during the draft and added much-needed depth at several key spots. However, DeCosta’s offseason remains incomplete, with significant questions along both the offensive and defensive lines. Still, this is a talented Ravens team, led by one of the league’s best players in Jackson. If DeCosta adds a few pieces over the next couple of months, there’s no reason that the Ravens shouldn’t be one of the AFC’s better teams. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms