The Ravens once again had a stellar regular season only to bow out shy of a Super Bowl appearance. Baltimore has 35 wins over the last two seasons with back-to-back AFC North titles but have 0 Super Bowl appearances to show for it.
How will they use the 2025 Draft to take that next step? We dive into how the Ravens’ draft unfolded in Green Bay.
Looking for all 32 teams’ draft grades? Head to our 2025 NFL Draft Grades for All 32 Teams Tracker to see how we’ve graded other drafts.
Overall Ravens Draft Grade: A
Eric DeCosta and the Baltimore Ravens’ front office cooked in the 2025 NFL Draft. They’re typically good for at least a steal or two, but they landed several this time around. Landing Malaki Starks, the 9th-ranked overall prospect on PFSN’s Big Board, was a massive steal and set the tone for the rest of the haul.
The Georgia product is a perfect fit for Baltimore on the back end, joining Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, and Ar’Darius Washington. A unit that was susceptible to big plays last season looks particularly strong heading into 2025.
The Ravens addressed other pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball, some juice on the edge with Mike Green and a linebacker in Teddy Buchanan, who can be an immediate special teams contributor and potentially develop into a starter at the WILL linebacker spot. Green was the most productive edge rusher in this class, and Baltimore got him at the end of the second round.
On the offensive side of the ball, Baltimore did work to upgrade their offensive line depth. Emery Jones Jr. is a mauler of a run blocker who has three years of starting experience against elite competition. While he played right tackle in college, he projects as a quality guard at the next level, which fills a big need for the Ravens up front.
They also may have landed a Day 3 gem in Carson Vinson. He put together an impressive 2024 season, allowing just one sack on the year. He possesses a rare combination of size, athleticism, and advanced technique. He could develop into a starter down the line.
The Justin Tucker era in Baltimore may be over, as they drafted Tyler Loop, one of the better kicking prospects in this class. Aeneas Peebles could turn out to be a Day 3 steal, as he has starter upside and could potentially make up for the loss of Michael Pierce, who retired this offseason.
In the past, the Ravens have deployed a best player available strategy. While that has yielded some strong results, the front office made sure it addressed each of the glaring roster holes this year.
Grades for Every Ravens Draft Pick
- Round 1, Pick 27
Malaki Starks, S | Georgia
Grade: A+
The Baltimore Ravens played the board and got one of the best value deals in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Malaki Starks was a top-10 prospect on my board, and he’s a perfect fit for what the Ravens need on the back end of their defense.f
At 6’1” and almost 200 pounds, Starks has good size and play strength, and his superpower is his coverage mobility, which in turn amounts to all-encompassing versatility. He’s an absurdly efficient mover on his pedal and as a weaver in two-high and single-high. He has rapid processing and superb playmaking range, and he also has short-area quickness, reaction-to-stimulus ability, and fluidity to play man-to-man coverage.
The Ravens caught a glimpse of the ideal setup at safety with Marcus Williams in his prime, but injuries sapped his ability. With Starks, they get a true safety blanket on the back end, whose versatility frees up Kyle Hamilton to be the universal chess piece he can be at his best.
- Round 2, Pick 59
Mike Green, EDGE | Marshall
Grade: A+
Given his off-field concerns and questions about the level of competition at Marshall, it’s not a shock that Mike Green fell a little. But getting to the end of the second round counts as a massive coup for the Ravens, who have racked up significant value with each of their first two picks this year.
Green was the most productive pass rusher in this class, producing 17 sacks and 23 TFLs for the Thundering Herd in 2024. His fluidity should allow him to play stand-up edge rusher snaps for the Ravens’ odd fronts, and he adds important depth to a position where Odafe Oweh is in the final year of his rookie contract.
If the character concerns check out, Green could end up as one of this year’s more memorable steals.
- Round 3, Pick 91
Emery Jones Jr., OG | LSU
Grade: B+
Entering the draft, guard was among the few needs on the Ravens’ offense. Emery Jones Jr. was a three-year starter at LSU and brings the type of mauling in run blocking that the Ravens typically covet. His average athleticism could make pass protection dicey early on, but he does fit the team’s ground game identity.
Jones did play right tackle at LSU, but figures to kick inside in the NFL. He’ll most likely compete with Andrew Vorhees for the starting left guard spot, which was left vacant by Patrick Mekari’s departure in free agency.
- Round 4, Pick 129
Teddye Buchanan, LB, California
Grade: B-
The Ravens needed to strengthen their RB room heading into the draft. They had hoped Trenton Simpson or Malik Harrison would lock down the WILL spot alongside Roquan Smith last season. Simpson started strong but fizzled out, and Harrison wasn’t great either. Baltimore needed to add some juice through the draft with the latter now in Pittsburgh.
Teddye Buchanan was an immediate impact player for Cal, earning All-ACC honors. He doesn’t have the ideal size or length for the position, but he’s a high-IQ player who was a consistent contributor throughout his college career.
At worst, those tools should get him on the field as a special teamer, but he should have every opportunity to compete for defensive snaps early, with the lack of depth at inside linebacker.
- Round 5, Pick 141
Carson Vinson, OT | Alabama A&M
Grade: B+ - Round 6, Pick 178
Bilhal Kone, CB | Western Michigan
Grade: B+ - Round 6, Pick 186
Tyler Loop, K | Arizona
Grade: A - Round 6, Pick 203
LaJohntay Wester, WR | Colorado
Grade: C
- Round 6, Pick 210
Aeneas Peebles, DT | Virginia Tech
Grade: A - Round 6, Pick 212
Robert Longerbeam, CB | Rutgers
Grade: A- - Round 7, Pick 243
Garrett Dellinger, OG | LSU
Grade: A+
the Baltimore Ravens got rid of one of their best weapons in Justin Tucker