Post Combine Seven-Round Mock Draft: Ravens Prioritize Trenches Early

The Baltimore Ravens get back to their roots with their top 100 picks in this latest projection by addressing their most glaring positions of need.

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane (71) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Coming out of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, where records for speed, jumps and explosions were broken, there were several prospects that the Baltimore Ravens will certainly be looking to target in this year's NFL Draft who boosted their respective stocks with standout performances.

This is the perfect time for another mock draft predicting what general manager Eric DeCosta will do through all seven rounds. The team came into the offseason needing to improve in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and do just that in this exercise.

With free agency just a week away, these projections are based on the assumption that the Ravens are able to work out a deal to keep three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum from hitting the open market, thus negating the need to find his replacement early in the draft.

First round No. 14: OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

The Ravens say positional value be damned with this selection because the former Nittany Lion is regarded by some well-respected analysts as the top offensive lineman in this entire draft. There's a chance that they could trade back a few spots and still land him in the late teens or early 20s ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers, who are essentially the West Coast Ravens who have similar needs on offense and would likely sprint the card up to the podium if Ioane is still on the board at No. 22 overall.

While the First Team All American and All Big Ten selection didn't run a 40-yard dash and his jumps ranked outside the top five among linemen, his drill work was superb, especially when it came to his footwork in pass protection and simulated pulls. The only other time the Ravens have used a first-round pick on a guard in franchise history came in 2007 when they took eventual Pro Bowl selection Ben Grubbs at No. 29 overall. Ioane can not only be a Day 1 plug-and-play starter in Baltimore, but he could also be the physical tone setter they've been missing at guard and can form one of the best interior tandems with Linderbaum.

Second round No. 45: EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF

UCF defensive end Malachi Lawrence (51) tackles ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) as he scrambles during a game at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 9, 2024. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With some of the top prospects at the position opting not to work out, the former Knight took full advantage of the opportunity to boost his stock further with an impressive display of athleticism that confirmed the explosive get-off and closing speed he showed on tape. He ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash (4.52) and 10-yard split (1.59) of all edge rushers and recorded the second-best vertical leap (40") and broad jump (10'10"), earning him a Relative Athletic Score of 9.90, which ranks 22nd among 2046 defensive ends since 1987.

Similar to Mike Green, who the Ravens selected in the second round last year, Lawrence comes with pass rush production and refinement as he uses multiple moves to get through and around blockers on his way into the backfield to pressure the quarterback or limit a ball carrier. He racked up 19.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and 27.5 tackles for loss during his final three seasons in college and has a relentless motor and both the length and strength to set the edge.

Third round No. 80: DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) celebrates after a sack during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday,Sept. 20, 2025. Oklahoma won 24-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The third round has been a sweet spot for the Ravens when it comes to finding disruptive and productive interior defensive linemen during the DeCosta era. They hit a home run with 2025 sack leader Travis Jones in 2022 out of UConn and struck gold with Nnamdi Madubuike in 2020 out of Texas A&M, as he went on to make two Pro Bowls and led the team in sacks in 2023.

Halton has the profile and would get the opportunity to make an immediate impact in Baltimore as an interior pass rusher. The former Sooner tested off the charts at the combine, recording the third-best vertical jump by a defensive lineman of all time and running a 4.82 in the 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.70. He began to blossom as a pass rusher over his final two seasons in college, recording 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Whether the shroud of uncertainty surrounding Madubuike's health status and career is lifted anytime soon or not, the Ravens could use another penetrating three-technique to add more juice to their pass rush regardless.

Fourth round No. 115: DB Bud Clark, TCU

Oct 19, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; TCU Horned Frogs safety Bud Clark (21) intercepts a pass intended for Utah Utes wide receiver Luca Caldarella (19) during the fourth quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

There's a chance that the Ravens wind up bringing back either Ar'Darius Washington or Alohi Gilman in free agency to continue serving in the vital third safety role that allows Kyle Hamilton to be used in his optimized role near the line of scrimmage. In the event that they don't or even if they do, Clark could either fill that hole or at least provide quality depth behind whichever of the two gets re-signed. He tied for the third-best broad jump (10'7") among safeties, while his vertical leap (38) and 10-yard split (1.56) tied for fifth-best.

The former Horned Frog tested well and performed even better in the on-field drills, showcasing the range and ball skills that made him a productive ballhawk in college. Clark finished his career with 15 interceptions and is the only player to have recorded at least three interceptions in each of the last four seasons. This year's safety class is sneakily deep and getting the Senior Bowl standout at this spot would be a great value pick as well.

Fifth round No. 152: TE Justin Joly, NC State

Sep 11, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack tight end Justin Joly (7) catches a pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images | Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images

With both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar heading for free agency, there's a chance neither winds up returning, which would create a gaping hole on the depth chart behind three-time Pro Bowl veteran Mark Andrews, who is the Ravens' only tight end currently under contract. Although the former member of the Wolfpack didn't test, he was excellent at running routes and catching the ball during the on-field drills, especially the gauntlet. Joly would be an ideal replacement for Likely as the 'move/F' tight end for the Ravens that specializes in being a pass-catching threat down the seams and after the catch. Over his final two seasons in college after transferring from UConn, he racked up 92 catches for 1,150 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns and was named First Team All-ACC.

Fifth round No. 160: CB Tacario Davis, Washington

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington defensive back Tacario Davis (DB05) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The former Huskie possesses prototypical size and length at 6'4" and 194 pounds with 33 3/8" arms and tested exceptionally well, especially for a prospect with his physical dimensions. He ran the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash (4.41) with a 10-yard split of 1.59 and leapt 37" in the vertical and 10'3" in the broad jump. Davis' draft profile closely resembles that of Chargers corner Cam Hart, who was a fifth-round pick in 2024 and developed into a starter during his time under new Ravens coach Jesse Minter.

After beginning his college career at Arizona as a defensive end, Davis made the rare conversion from the front seven to the secondary as a sophomore. In his first season as a corner, he recorded a whopping 15 pass breakups and an interception. He only recorded nine deflections over the next two seasons, including a career-low three in 2025 during his lone season at Washington, but he also recorded a career-high two interceptions as a senior. Davis can provide quality depth on the outside and contribute on special teams as a rookie as he gets groomed by the Ravens' star-studded secondary coaches, which includes Minter, Mike Mickens and PJ Volker.

Fifth round No. 172: WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State

Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Ted Hurst (16) runs after a catch against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Ravens capitalize on the incredible depth of this year's receiver class by landing the former Group of Six standout who fits the mold of the type of player they need at the position, a big-bodied playmaker on the boundary capable of dominating at the catch point. If they don't bring back five-time Pro Bowl veteran DeAndre Hopkins in free agency, Hurst could not only fill that role in the offense, but he also brings more speed to the table after clocking a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash at 6'4" and 206 pounds with 32 5/8" arms. He also recorded the best broad jump among all receivers with a mark of 11'3" and caught the ball well during position drills and when catching passes during the quarterback workouts.

Hurst is coming off back-to-back prolific seasons for the Panthers in which he received Second Team All Sun Belt honors after recording 56 catches for 961 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. He followed that up with a First Team All Conference senior campaign in which he recorded career-highs with 71 receptions for 1,004 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Hurst makes contested catch opportunities look more like 80/20 in his favor, possesses crisp route-running ability and has breakaway speed in the open field.

Fifth round No. 173: TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame

Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Eli Raridon (9) competes a pass while NC State Wolfpack linebacker Jr. Kenny Soares (33) and defensive back Asaad Brown Jr. (26) tackle him during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The Ravens double-dip at tight end in the same draft for the fifth time in franchise history with this pick. Instead of having developed a prospect who was a prolific pass-catcher in college to serve in the traditional 'Y' role as they did with Kolar coming out of Iowa State, Raridon is entering the league already poised to fill it. He is comfortable with playing on the end of the line with his hand in the dirt and is both a tenacious and technically sound run blocker who can be a sneaky threat in the passing attack, similar to what Kolar has been over the past couple of seasons.

Raridon had a very impressive showing at the Combine for someone of his size at 6'6" and 245 pounds. He ran a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.60, jumped 36" in the vertical and 10'3" in the broad, put up 20 reps of 225 on the bench and both caught the ball well and showed good leg drill drive when hitting the blocking sled during on-field drills. After only recording 16 catches for 141 receiving yards and three touchdowns through his first three seasons in college, Raridon finally got a chance to show what he could do in a more featured role as a pass catcher in 2025 and more than doubled his career production up to that point with 32 catches for 482 receiving yards, but didn't catch any touchdowns.

Seventh round No. 249: RB Eli Heidenreich, Navy

Nov 15, 2025; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen running back Eli Heidenreich (22) runs by South Florida Bulls defensive back Fred Gaskin (5) during the second half at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Navy Midshipmen defeated South Florida Bulls 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Ravens could possibly part ways with veteran running back Justice Hill this offseason as a salary cap casualty, which would put them in the market for another third-down back who presents a potent pass-catching threat coming out of the backfield. They wouldn't need to look far to find his replacement, as Heidenreich spent the past three years staring Midshipmen in their backyard in Annapolis, Maryland. He was a dynamic weapon in the Naval Academy's offense, primarily catching passes as he recorded more yards receiving than rushing in each of his three seasons.

Heidenreich posted back-to-back seasons of over 1,100 yards and nine combined touchdowns from scrimmage, capped off by a senior campaign where he set career-highs across the board with 77 carries for 499 rushing yards and three touchdowns as a runner and 51 catches for 941 and six touchdowns. At the combine among all running backs, he ran a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash (fifth best), a 1.55 in the 10-yard split (1.55), had the fifth best marks in the vertical leap (35.5") and broad jump (10'). He could quickly carve out a role for himself as a rookie on offense, catching screens and operating out of the slot as a receiver while contributing on special teams, covering and returning kicks and punts.

Seventh round No. 252: CB Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks defensive back Charles Demmings (21) intercepts a pass as Jacksonville State Gamecocks take on Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks during the FCS Kickoff at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. Jacksonville State Gamecocks lead Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 21-17. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ravens take late flier on the athletic small school prospect who raised some eyebrows at the combine with his testing numbers. At 6'1" and 193 pounds with 32" arms, Demmings tied Davis for the fourth-best 40-yard dash among corners (4.41) and tied for the third-best 10-yard split (1.55), second-best vertical leap (42") and second-best broad jump (11'). His relative athletic score of 9.97 ranks 10th out of 2779 cornerbacks dating back to 1987. The former Lumberjack had pretty good ball production in college, recording 35 pass breakups and nine interceptions across his four seasons, with nearly half of his picks (four) coming in his senior season. He'd a nice developmental prospect who would provide solid depth and play on special teams.

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