Ravens Can Fill Biggest Need Outside First Round of NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens have one glaring roster need that needs to be filled during the NFL Draft, but they don't need to use a first-round pick to get it done.

Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

All the talk this offseason from the Baltimore Ravens fan base is how much this team has to improve with the guard position.

Left guard Andrew Vorhees and right guard Daniel Faalele struggled throughout last season, leading to Faalele becoming a free agent and being replaced by John Simpson on a three-year deal. Vorhees is still there, but could be competing for a starting job with 2025 third-round pick Emery Jones Jr. ESPN draft expert Jordan Reid has another idea for guard or even a potential replacement for the recently departed center Tyler Linderbaum with Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge.

"A rugged and tough interior blocker, Rutledge fits the profile of Baltimore's identity. He has the potential to slot in at center or guard at the next level."

Ravens could select Keylan Rutledge outside the first round

Rutledge had a stellar college career that started at Middle Tennessee, where he was a first-team All-C-USA selection in 2023. He transferred to Georgia Tech after that and earned two first-team All-ACC selections in 2024 and 2025. Last year, he added a first-team All-American selection to his resume.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

He was one of the top linemen in the nation, as Pro Football Focus graded him at a 76.6, ranking 22nd out of 686 interior guards in college. In 396 pass blocking snaps, Rutledge allowed five quarterback pressures and two hits while only getting penalized five times, but most importantly, did not allow a sack.

Baltimore will no doubt start Simpson at one of the guard positions, with the question being whether they are comfortable enough with Vorhees and Jones at the other guard position. An even bigger question concerns the center position for the Ravens, as they currently have Danny Pinter, whom they signed in free agency, and Corey Bullock.

Pinter and Bullock are better suited to be good, solid backups for the Ravens, so drafting a young center would be the right move. Rutledge played guard for most of his career, but has been getting some looks to be a center in the NFL.

It's a tough decision for the Ravens, and it might be a tougher transition for Rutledge. If he does it well, though, it would be massive for Baltimore as the fan base is still feeling the sting of losing Linderbaum in free agency.

Getting an interior offensive lineman outside of the first round would be an ideal situation for the Ravens as they try to rebuild the interior group with the right pieces.

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