Mel Kiper Jr. Has Ravens Selecting East Carolina Cornerback in First Mock Draft
With the college football season officially over and the draft order decided for all but the four teams playing this weekend, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his first mock draft of the year.
Kiper mocked East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. to the Ravens at No. 27 overall.
"Teams will be watching Revel's medicals as he recovers from a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season in September," Kiper wrote. "He has tremendous size (6-foot-3) and leans on his strong instincts to make plays. Revel – who would be the first East Carolina first-rounder since Chris Johnson in 2008 – had two interceptions in three games this season, including a pick-six.
"Now picture Revel in the Baltimore secondary with Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and Kyle Hamilton. He could fill free agent Brandon Stephens' void and help limit the big plays that burned the Ravens this season; they allowed 58 completions for 20 or more yards, third most in the league."
Meanwhile, The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon looked at other prospects the Ravens could target in the first round. Here's a look at three:
Marshall EDGE Mike Green
"Green has been a fast riser after recording a nation-leading 17 sacks this past season, displaying an explosive first step and rare bend off the edge. Though a bit undersized at 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds, he's a strong run defender, posting a 90.1 Pro Football Focus run-defense grade to go with a stellar 91.0 PFF pass-rush grade."
Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr.
"Whether or not Ronnie Stanley re-signs, the Ravens need a long-term plan at left tackle. This draft could be the best time to address it. A former five-star recruit, Conerly took his game to another level in his second season as a starter. The 6-4, 315-pound left tackle allowed just 10 pressures on 521 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF, while earning a 78.0 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets. While still raw, his athleticism will have teams buying into his potential as a future star. He might very well rocket up draft boards before the Ravens have a chance to pick him."
Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor
"If the Ravens are thinking about filling out their wide receiver room like a basketball team, Ayomanor is the type of player they're missing. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, he's bigger and taller than both Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers with enticing ball skills to win one-on-one matchups on the outside. Playing in a Stanford offense that was one of the worst in major college football this past season, Ayomanor still had 63 catches for 831 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked 23rd in the country with 14 contested catches, according to PFF, winning nearly half of the 50-50 balls thrown his way (48.3%). His one-handed grab against Syracuse was one of the best across the sport all season."
Rich Eisen Says Ravens 'Are Going to Be in It Every Year'
Playoff losses always sting, but Baltimore's postseason defeats in recent years are especially frustrating because the Ravens have had the talent to win a Super Bowl.
However, the fact that the Ravens have consistently been in the Super Bowl conversation since Lamar Jackson became the starting quarterback in 2018 is reason for optimism in the wake of Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round.
"John Harbaugh and the Ravens, I'm not concerned about them at all," Rich Eisen said on “The Rich Eisen Show”on YouTube. "They're going to be in it every year."
Eisen rejected any "hot takes" about Jackson's playoff record or the Ravens coming up short this season.
"The Ravens' season was incredibly successful, but they made the mistakes [against the Bills]," Eisen said. "It's so simple. The four teams that won this weekend have one large thing in common: zero turnovers.
"I know people out there want more of a hot take: 'Lamar doesn't do well in the big games.' Hey, man, he got them down the field to [potentially] tie the game."
Former Orioles Great Jim Palmer Among Those Showing Support for Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews' teammates had his back after the three-time Pro Bowl tight end had a fourth quarter fumble and dropped two-point conversion in the Ravens' loss to the Bills, and others are showing support for him as well.
Former Orioles Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer took to X to relate his own story of failing in a big moment and why better days are ahead.
“Good Morning Football’s” Peter Schrager said Andrews' career doesn't have to be defined by his lowest moment.
"Mark Andrews might have two, three, four, five big-moment opportunities over the course of the rest of his career, and those await for him," Schrager said. "Football definitely is cruel, but there could be a happy ending around the corner. Mark Andrews, call up Earnest Byner."
Byner, a member of the Ravens Ring of Honor, committed a critical fumble with the Cleveland Browns in the 1987 AFC Championship Game, but four years later scored a touchdown for the Washington Redskins in their Super Bowl win.
Kyle Van Noy Says Bills' Conservative Approach Paid Off
Veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy reflected on the Ravens' season coming to an abrupt end on the “McCoy & Van Noy” podcast he hosts with former NFL defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
"Just hate how seasons end," Van Noy said. "You sacrifice so much, you do so much, and it's like a million miles an hour, and then it's a halt. Season's over. Done. Everybody goes their separate ways. Close that chapter.
"This one hurts, mainly because we had – and I'm not blaming anybody – three turnovers [are] rough in any game."
Van Noy credited the Bills for taking a conservative approach that resulted in them playing a fundamentally sound, mistake-free game.
"Something I saw them do, which I don't think I've ever seen them do this, is how conservatively they played. That was the most conservative Bills team I've ever played against," Van Noy said.
Van Noy said he's happy with the way the defense responded in the second half. Trailing 21-10 at halftime, the Ravens went on to limit the Bills to 118 yards and two field goals the rest of the way.
"We bowed up really, really well. Just wish we did it a little bit sooner, but we had the right attitude and energy in the second half," Van Noy said. "We knew we were still in the game, and we got it popping in the second half. It just wasn't enough. You [can't] put yourself in a hole against a really good team."
Ravens Projected to Receive Four Compensatory Picks
The Ravens are projected to receive the maximum four compensatory picks in the 2025 draft, according to OverThe Cap’s Nick Korte.
The breakdown of picks is as follows: a fourth-rounder (for the departure of inside linebacker Patrick Queen), two fifth-rounders (for the departures of outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and safety Geno Stone), and a sixth-rounder (for the departure of guard Kevin Zeitler).
The Ravens have the most compensatory picks (56) since the system was instituted in 1994. Teams qualify for compensatory picks by having more free agents lost than gained, and their round is based on a league formula that takes into account a player's average salary per year, snap count, and postseason awards.
