Ever since Lamar Jackson was drafted, the Baltimore Ravens have been a continuous case of always the bridesmaid, never the bride. While their consistent regular season success is virtually unparalleled, it hasn’t translated to the postseason. The Ravens are 3-5 in the playoffs with Jackson, and they have yet to win a conference championship.
Early in his career, some of the blame was attributed to the two-time MVP’s unique playing style. However, as he’s improved as a passer, the Ravens have done everything in their power to bring in the right talent around him. One analyst believes that it needs to continue in the 2026 NFL Draft by adding another effective wide receiver.
Will the Baltimore Ravens Go Back to the Drawing Board In the 2026 NFL Draft?
No team has added more wide receiver talent in the first round since Jackson’s arrival in Baltimore. Names like Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers have all become major contributors to the team, leading to the two-time MVP having his best year as a passer in 2024.
Jackson finished with a career-high in passing yards (4,172) and touchdowns (41) while having a historic passer rating of 119.6, leading to him finishing first on PFSN’s QB+ metric.
Add in the superhuman ability of Derrick Henry, and it’s no wonder the Ravens were the second-best offense in the league on the Offense+ metric. However, the playoffs did not go their way once again.
Against the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, Baltimore collapsed and failed on a two-point conversion that would have potentially given them a chance to run it back against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
As a result, the team is currently focusing on the 2025 season. However, CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson believes they could add another wide receiver to their mix by picking 10-touchdown Nic Anderson out of LSU. He was a standout freshman, scoring an Oklahoma-record 10 touchdowns in 2023.
“Anderson is a big, physical X receiver who can play through contact,” Wilson wrote. “He tracks deep balls well on go routes, and he consistently stacks CBs.”
Despite missing the 2024 season with a quad injury, Wilson believes Anderson can find that gear again and emerge as a first-round pick by the time the 2026 draft rolls around. In that 2023 season, he put up 798 yards and 10 touchdowns, numbers that should only get better this season.
However, for others, a better use of the Ravens’ pick might be to continue their culture. To add to their defense, Max Dorsey of PFSN has Baltimore selecting Matayo Uiagalelei from Oregon in his mock draft.
Calling him a “true apex predator,” Dorsey believes Uigalelei could be the centerpiece of the Ravens’ defensive attack. “He’s a true NFL defensive end at 6’5″, 270 pounds, and has an elite speed-to-power combination on the edge.”
With the way Baltimore has focused its attack, adding more pieces to its offense might be the way forward to finally getting over that hump. As a result, Anderson might be the smarter choice between the two for the Ravens.
