Five Ravens First-Round Picks Named Best of the Decade at Their Draft Spot
Fox Sports’ Greg Auman looked at the best draft pick for each spot in the first round over the past decade. His choices were a testament to the Ravens' draft acumen.
Baltimore selections took five of the 32 spots. The only other team with more than two players was the Kansas City Chiefs (three).
Auman's choice at No. 32 was a no-brainer: Lamar Jackson in 2018.
"Jackson is a runaway winner — two MVPs, four Pro Bowls, 166 touchdown passes against 49 interceptions with another 6,173 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns on the ground," Auman wrote. "He hasn't found the ultimate team success in the playoffs, but for the final pick in the first round, you can't do better than Jackson."
Here are the four other Ravens chosen:
No. 28: LB Patrick Queen (2020)
"Queen has made the Pro Bowl each of the last two years, with 100-plus tackles in each of the last three. He hasn't missed a game in five years in the league, has at least one fumble forced and recovered every year, and signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the Steelers a year ago."
No. 25: C Tyler Linderbaum (2022)
"Linderbaum has two Pro Bowls in his three NFL seasons and graded as Pro Football Focus' No. 3 center this past season. It can be hard to choose a young player like this when there are veterans with much more experience taken in the same slot, but Linderbaum gets the nod as a consistent young centerpiece on Baltimore's line."
No. 16: CB Marlon Humphrey (2017)
"A year ago, this might have gone to another player, but Humphrey had a career-best six interceptions in 2024, sending him to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in the last six years. His 15 career forced fumbles is a ridiculous number for a cornerback, including eight in one season in 2020."
No. 14: S Kyle Hamilton (2022)
"Hamilton has two Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro nod in the last two years, earning the spot here. You don't see safeties in the top half of the draft much these days, but Hamilton has shown it can be a worthwhile pick."
In addition, four Ravens received one of the two honorable mention spots for their draft position: OLB Odafe Oweh (No. 31, 2021), WR Hollywood Brown (No. 25, 2019), WR Zay Flowers (No. 22, 2023), and OT Ronnie Stanley (No. 6, 2016).
Mock Draft Has Ravens Trading Down in First Round, Swapping Picks With Chiefs
The Ravens have traded down in the first round of the draft three times in the past seven years. NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter has them doing so again in his four-round mock draft.
Reuter's proposal has the Ravens moving from No. 27 to No. 31 in a trade with the Chiefs. The deal also includes Baltimore getting Kansas City's third-round pick (No. 95) in exchange for a fourth-round compensatory pick (No. 136).
"The Ravens have a strong roster, so some of their eight Day 3 picks could have a tough time making the squad," Reuter wrote. "But by turning one of those picks into a Day 2 selection, Baltimore could improve its chances of finding a guy who will earn a roster spot when the season starts.
"The Ravens have had recent success addressing needs even after falling back a few spots, picking up center Tyler Linderbaum after a two-slot drop in 2022 and receiver Hollywood Brown in a three-spot move in 2019."
Reuter mocked Georgia safety Malaki Starks to the Ravens at No. 31. Several mock drafts have them landing Starks at No. 27.
"Some teams will view Starks as a fair athlete without an NFL position; despite their talent, Brian Branch and Cooper DeJean lasted until the second round for similar reasons," Reuter wrote. "The Ravens won't let that happen, though, as they see Starks' playmaking skills – just like when they scooped up Kyle Hamilton at No. 14 overall after his 4.59 40 caused other franchises to pass."
Reuter has the Ravens using the third-round pick they acquired from the Chiefs to take USC cornerback Jaylin Smith.
Former NFL Executive Says Ravens Should Select Marshall Edge Rusher in First Round
ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum put a twist on his mock draft. Rather than predicting what will happen, the former NFL executive based his selections on what he would do as the general manager of each team.
Tannenbaum has the Ravens selecting Marshall edge rusher Mike Green at No. 27.
"Had the Ravens not re-signed Ronnie Stanley, I probably would have gone with an offensive tackle," Tannenbaum wrote. "But bringing Stanley back before free agency opened means I can go get an edge rusher for this defense. Baltimore was second in sacks last season (54), but I want to keep that strength a strength in the tough AFC North.
"Green is quick and sudden, and he had tremendous production last season (17 sacks, 52 pressures and 2 forced fumbles). He will need to get stronger, but his floor is high, and he has the traits to contribute right away."
Pundit Says Chidobe Awuzie Is 'Ultimate Low-Risk, High-Reward Signing'
The Ravens made another shrewd move in free agency Tuesday by agreeing to terms with veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie on a one-year contract. The addition not only adds depth at a position that needed it, but it also was cost effective.
Awuzie, 29, was released two weeks ago by the Tennessee Titans a year after they signed him to a three-year, $36 million contract, the richest deal of any free-agent cornerback in 2024. The Titans still owe Awuzie $7.5 million this season, so it's a minimum deal for the Ravens. Moreover, the move won't cost Baltimore a compensatory pick in 2026.
Ebony Bird’s Matt Sidney called Awuzie "the ultimate low-risk, high-reward signing for Baltimore."
"The Baltimore Ravens have had a relatively quiet start to free agency," Sidney wrote. "Aside from re-signing key players, their biggest splash has been bringing in DeAndre Hopkins. Now, they've arguably made their second-best move of the offseason—and it's a complete steal. He'll be playing on a veteran minimum contract. … Talk about a win-win for the Ravens."
Awuzie has battled injuries in recent years, including missing nine games with a groin injury last season, but he has been a solid player when healthy.
"The Ravens landed the frontrunner for their No. 3 cornerback spot," ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote. "Awuzie, who made 81 starts in eight seasons, provides much-needed experience. After starter Brandon Stephens signed with the Jets in free agency, Baltimore only had two cornerbacks on the roster (Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins) who had more than 200 career defensive snaps. The addition of Awuzie gives the Ravens more flexibility in the defensive backfield, where they like to move Humphrey from outside corner to the slot."
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Ravens Agree to Terms With Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie
- Edgar Jones, who joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and spent five seasons with the team as a defensive end and special teams player, has written an autobiographical and motivational book titled “The Underdog’s Story.”
