ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., an unabashed Ravens fan, knows better than most which direction his hometown team could go in.

Asked how he would rank the Ravens' needs entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Kiper pointed to the pass rush.

"I always want to close out games," Kiper said on "The Lounge" podcast. "Late in the fourth quarter, it's that one drive or two drives that's going to determine your fate. Can you close it out?

"To be able to get after the quarterback is so critical. To me, you can never have enough good pass rushers."

Kiper isn't alone. With a cluster of highly regarded pass rushers projected to be selected in the back half of the first round, it seems just about every outside linebacker has been projected to Baltimore at No. 27 during the runup to the NFL Draft.

Here's how Kiper and fellow draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic size up three outside linebackers linked to Baltimore.

Donovan Ezeiraku, Boston College

The Ravens typically draft big guys on the EDGE. Ezeiraku stands in at a shade over 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds.

But while Ezeiraku doesn't have prototypical size, he has big-time production. The consensus All-American logged the second-most sacks (16.5) in the nation in his senior season at Boston College, only trailing fellow first-round prospect Mike Green of Marshall.

Kiper said Ezeiraku's production matches the talent of a pure pass rusher.

"To bend, [and have] the ability to really wreak havoc and get into the mind of a tackle you're going against … and that closing ability. Can you close like a cat? He can do that," Kiper said. "Then you have the attitude, the approach to be a 'Play Like a Raven' guy. Yes, while he's not 265 pounds and he's not 6'4", 6'5" either, he plays like a Raven."

Kiper also pointed out that Ezeiraku makes up for his lack of height with an outsized wingspan (82 ¾ inches) that is significantly longer than 6-foot-5 outside linebacker James Pierce Jr., who also could hear his name called on Day 1.

While the Ravens would perhaps be giving up some prowess in run defense by drafting Ezeiraku, he would be a strong complement to some of the rugged defenders they already have on the roster.

"Maybe he doesn't have the size and doesn't check out all of those boxes, but if you want a guy that has length, that is a proven guy that can get to the quarterback, can win the corner, has different jab steps, different cross chops, has different ways he can win, then I think that's the direction you go in," Brugler said.

"He can affect what is happening in the pocket. To me, that's the type of guy you want to bet on. If he's there at 27, I think that makes a ton of sense."

Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Stewart is a player that looks more like a Raven, standing in at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds.

Just about every team around the NFL likely envisioned him wearing their uniform after Stewart blew up the Combine with a 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds and vertical jump of 40 inches. However, Kiper doesn't see Stewart in purple and black.

"I don't think Shemar Stewart will be a Raven, just because of the fact that when you watch him, I didn't see the disruptive plays. I didn't see him beating a guy initially that he should have," Kiper said.

"I couldn't do it myself. He's graded to a point where I have him on the board in that 25 to 28 area that I know is going to be [drafted] higher. I've always believed if you're picking where the Ravens are, you've got to get a guy on your board that's in the top 15. It's going to work that way. So it's not going to be Shemar Stewart."

While Ezeiraku's resume is all about production, Stewart's screams potential. He only had 4.5 sacks over his three seasons, and Kiper pointed out that he didn't have a sack in any of the final seven games of each season.

However, with a frame and athleticism like that, Kiper envisions defensive line coaches around the NFL begging their general manager to give them a race car to tune up. Brugler indicated that the way Stewart was used in the Aggies' defense wasn't as conducive to sack production and pointed out that he still led the team in pressures.

The Ravens drafted Odafe Oweh in the first round in 2021 even though he didn't have any sacks his final season at Penn State. He became a double-digit sack producer last season and has 23 sacks in four years.

"I'm willing to bet on the pass rusher upside. Not every team sees it that way," Brugler said. "There's definitely a lot of split opinion on Shamar Stewart. He could go top 15, or he could be on the board when the Ravens pick, and I don't think I'd be really surprised at either outcome."

Mykel Williams, Georgia

Williams is a case study in what could be, or what could have been had he not dealt with injuries last season.

He has ideal size at 6-foot-5, 267 pounds (same as Stewart), and is a violent defender who sets a hard edge and is nimble and fast enough to close on quarterbacks.

While he has more production than Stewart, Williams' stats didn't match his profile, as he had 14 sacks over his three seasons, including five last year. However, he missed two games due to an ankle injury that affected him beyond the time on the sideline.

"I would have loved to see him go through the year healthy. He wasn't with the ankle," Kiper said. "Do you see the burst? Do you see the explosiveness? To me, he's got to develop some more pass rush moves. He's great against the run. He's great at the point [of attack]. He can seal the edge. He can do all those things. He hustles, he plays hard, he looks the part from that size standpoint out there on that football field."

Kiper gives Williams credit for playing through the ankle injury when wasn't 100% "or even close to it," and said Georgia coaches raved about his tenacity and leadership. But the unknowns could lead to him being available at No. 27.

The Ravens have a little more intel on Williams. According to Brugler, Williams used to work out with Ravens Pass Rush Coach Chuck Smith.

"He kind of reminds me a little bit of Jason Pierre-Paul, where you're betting on the upside more so than the production at that point," Brugler said. "It takes a little bit more of a leap of faith. But like we said, the Ravens are not afraid to go that route."