Raven Country

Ravens Fans Will Be Fired Up Over Surge in Power Rankings

Baltimore Ravens will be pumped over this new set of NFL power rankings.
Oct 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against the Cleveland Brownsduring the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against the Cleveland Brownsduring the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

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The Baltimore Ravens knocked it out of the park in the NFL Draft, especially with their selections to bolster their defense in three of their first four picks.

That came on the heels of the Ravens not being able to do a whole lot in free agency due to financial constraints, so the draft was incredibly pivotal for Baltimore to improve its roster.

Apparently, Pro Football Network absolutely loves what the Ravens have done, as they have placed them No. 1 in their latest set of power rankings.

"The Ravens added Georgia’s Malaki Starks to the back end of their secondary, and he should help," PFN wrote. "They also took advantage of Mike Green falling down the draft board, giving this defense more upside than it had in 2024, a season that came up short of their ultimate goal."

Not only that, but Baltimore was able to land California linebacker Teddye Buchanan in the fourth round, which may have been one of the best under-the-radar picks of the draft.

The Ravens are historically known for being a stingy defensive club, but there is no doubt that their defense sprung some leaks in 2024. More specifically, Baltimore struggled in defending the pass, as it ranked 31st in the NFL in that category.

There is no question that the addition of Starks should pay major dividends for the Ravens' defensive backfield. Plus, Green should provide significant help to a pass rush that, while productive this past season, clearly lacked depth.

Of course, the million dollar question is whether or not Baltimore can finally get over the hump in the playoffs, as the Ravens have only made one AFC Championship Game appearance in the Lamar Jackson era and suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round this past January.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.