Ravens Rookie Review: Defenders Help Secure Shut Out

Several members of the Baltimore Ravens' 2025 rookie class saw extended action in the team's 24-0 shutout win over the Cincinnati Bengals, which kept them within a game of the AFC North lead at 7-7. Drafted and undrafted first-year players saw extensive playing time in all three phases. The only rookies who were healthy scratches were sixth-round defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles for the eighth time and undrafted cornerback Keyon Martin for the first time this season, for a non-injury-related reason.

Here’s an overview of how these rookies performed in their most recent NFL regular-season game.

DB Malaki Starks

The first-round safety made nice plays both in coverage and run support in this game that helped the Ravens keep the Bengals off the board. He allowed an 11-yard reception for a first down on Cincinnati's first possession of the game and bounced back on its third by breaking up a deep pass to wide receiver Andrei Iosivas on a play where he dislodged the ball before the process of the catch could be completed. He finished with the fourth-most total tackles on the team with 5, including 4 solos.

OLB Mike Green

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens safety Malaki Starks (24) in Week 15. — Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens safety Malaki Starks (24) in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Dec. 14, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite playing less than 60% of the defense's total snaps for the first time since the season opener, the second-round rookie snapped his two-game sack drought by bringing down Joe Burrow on the final play of the second quarter to preserve the first-half shutout and a quarterback hit.

Mike green squeezingggg the angle pic.twitter.com/pWgnrN9CZV
— Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) December 15, 2025

OG Emery Jones

For the fourth week in a row, the third-round rookie was active, but unlike last week, he got to see the field for some action on offense. Coming out of the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, he was inserted at left guard in place of third-year pro Andrew Vorhees and played the final four snaps of the game. On the only play that wasn't a victory formation kneeldown, he helped spring third-year running back Keaton Mitchell for a 22-yard run with a vicious block that ended in a pancake.

Emery jones put a dude on his ass pic.twitter.com/b8XRelTI6n
— Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) December 15, 2025

LB Teddye Buchanan

Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (40) tackle Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) in Week 15. — Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) and Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (40) tackle Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) in the first quarter of the NFL football game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Dec. 14, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The fourth-round rookie played just 12 defensive snaps in his 13th straight start because he suffered what was later revealed as a season-ending torn ACL on his fourth special teams snap of the game while covering a punt and going down after not making contact with the returner. Before he went down, Buchanan added two more tackles to his second-leading total on the team with 93 through 14 games.

"Teddye did a great job," Harbaugh said. "Just to see his progress and see him grow as a player – on defense and special teams – has just been really fun. Nobody's into it more than he is. He's just great, and he's going to be back next year. He should be back, hopefully, for training camp ready to go and ready to kind of build on what he's done. So, it's unfortunate [and] disappointing."

OT Carson Vinson

In his second straight game back, being reinserted as the primary backup left tackle, the fifth-round rookie saw his first career regular-season snaps on offense.

After two-time Pro Bowl veteran Ronnie Stanley left the game late in the third quarter with an injury, Vinson was called into action on a third-and-long in which Lamar Jackson was sacked as a result of tripping over an injured defensive lineman. That was the first of his 6 offensive snaps as he'd finish out the game and joined Jones in making a key block to spring Mitchell for his long run. He also played four snaps on special teams as part of the field goal protection unit.

K Tyler Loop

Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop celebrates a successful field goal during the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. — Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) is greeted after a successful field goal during the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

While the sixth-round rookie wasn't nearly as busy, he still was able to bounce back from a rough game last week. He made all three of his extra points, his lone field goal attempt and didn't have any kickoff landing zone infractions.

WR LaJohntay Wester

For the 11th time this season, the sixth-round rookie saw action in multiple phases of the game, with the bulk coming on offense with a career-high 9 snaps and had 5 on special teams for the second week in a row.

Wester wasn't given any optimal opportunities to return the ball on the 3-of-4 punts the Bengals put in the field of play. The one bad decision he made in terms of fielding was letting a punt in the third quarter go past him and get downed by the long snapper at the Baltimore 8-yard line. The Ravens offense still managed to pick up three first downs and move the ball past midfield before a pair of sacks pushed them out of field goal range and forced a punt.

DB Keondre Jackson

The undrafted rookie out of Illinois State continued to play exclusively special teams in his ninth appearance of the season and didn't record at least one tackle for just the second time this year. Jackson 11 snaps in the third phase of the game tied off-ball linebackers Trenton Simpson and Carl Jones for the second-most on the team.

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