Raven Country

Six Ravens Second-Round Prospects Who Could Be Day 1 Starters

These incoming rookies could be plug-and-play contributors for the new-look Baltimore Ravens in year one.
Josh Reed|
Iowa center Logan Jones (65) runs onto the field during a NCAA football game against Ohio State, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. 221022 Iowa Ohio St Fb 070 Jpg
Iowa center Logan Jones (65) runs onto the field during a NCAA football game against Ohio State, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. 221022 Iowa Ohio St Fb 070 Jpg | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Baltimore Ravens

The primary focus between now and the start of the 2026 NFL Draft will be what the Baltimore Ravens and the other 27 teams with first-round picks will do on opening night. However, impactful players who can start right away can be found the following day when the second and third rounds take place.

While third-round picks are sometimes used on role players and developmental dart throws at premium positions like quarterback, top-half of the second-round selections are often viewed as borderline first-round talents who lasted on Day 2 for some reason. Sometimes it can be due to a lack of positional value or a surplus at their position, pushing them down draft boards. Either way, despite not being top 32 picks, the majority of second-round picks are expected to contribute, if not, start full or part-time as rookies unless they're recovering from injury.

Although the Ravens have only picked in the second round in four of the seven drafts with general manager Eric DeCosta at the helm due to trades, his hit rate has been solid, with three becoming either starters or key contributors as rookies. Here are a half dozen prospects at the team's positions of need who could be plug-and-play starters in Baltimore.

C Logan Jones, Iowa

If the Ravens lose three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, they could go back to the same well they got him from and replace him with the same person who filled his shoes with the Hawkeyes. Jones is one of the top-rated centers and most athletic offensive linemen in this year's class.

As a senior, he earned All American honors and was the recipient of the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the top center in the country, and would be a perfect fit in the heavy outside zone scheme that new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is slated to implement.

DL Caleb Banks, Florida

American defensive tackle Caleb Banks of Florida works in a drill during a Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Jan 29, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; American defensive tackle Caleb Banks (88) of Florida works in a drill during American Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Had the former Gator declare for last year's draft coming off a breakout 2024 campaign in which he recorded career-high 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, he likely would've been a lock to go in the first round given his impressive prototypical build at 6'6" and 327 pounds with 35" arms and 10 7/8’’ hands. He might've been in contention with Malaki Starks for the Ravens top overall pick at No. 27 overall.

Unfortunately for Banks, his decision to return to school in an effort to further boost his draft stock and perhaps emerge as a top 20 talent backfired after a foot injury cause him to miss all but three games in 2025. He was one of the brightest standouts during the 2026 Panini's Senior Bowl and confirmed that he has already met with the Ravens at this week's NFL Scouting Combine. If Banks is still available when Baltimore is on the clock in the second round, he could very well be the pick that addresses a glaring need given the uncertainty surrounding two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike's future following a 2025 season that was cut short due to a serious neck injury.

WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs against the Alabama Crimson Tide defense in the 2026 Rose Bowl.
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Despite having never eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in any of his four seasons in college, the former Hoosier is quickly rising up draft boards the more his tape is watched. Once thought of as a potential Day 3 flier, Cooper Jr. has been garnering potential late first-round buzz from respected analysts such as former Ravens scout Daniel Jeremiah. He was the go-to target in the passing game for projected No. 1 overall pick and 2025 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Cooper can play in the slot as well as out wide and, despite being just 6' even, is a physically imposing presence at the catch point and with the ball in his hands once he gets into the open field. He's a run-after-catch and contested catch specialist rolled up into a compact 204-pound frame and could even get used in some gadget plays coming out of the backfield, which would mesh well in Doyle's offense that is expected hunt explosives and dial up creative trick plays.

EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (32) pressures Tulane Green Wave quarterback Darian Mensah (10).
Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (32) pressures Tulane Green Wave quarterback Darian Mensah (10) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If the Ravens aren't fortunate enough to have Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. fall into their laps or within reasonable trade-up distance in the first round, they could still land a edge defender with less-than-ideal measurables, but doesn't let that stop him from being a consistent disruptor against the run and pass.

The former Sooner plays with impressive physicality at the point of attack, has great bend and speed around the edge and knows how to finish a play with 15.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in his last 23 games over the past two seasons. Thomas can be an every-down defender as a rookie who could either start or regularly rotate with the likes of Mike Green, Tavius Robinson, whichever veteran(s) get brought back or brought in from elsewhere.

OG Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Chase Bisontis (71) blocks the rush during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes.
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Chase Bisontis (71) blocks the rush during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Ravens could be looking to replace both starting guard spots this offseason, and if they opt not take the top interior offensive line prospect, Olaivavega Ioane of Penn State, in the first round, the former Aggie would still provide an upgrade over what they trotted out at either spot last season. Bisontis is athletic, tenacious in run-blocking and smooth moving laterally, making him an ideal fit for the new offense coming to Baltimore.

CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Chris Johnson warms up against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors before the game on Oct 5, 2024.
Oct 5, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Chris Johnson (1) warms up against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors before the game at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images | Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

While the former Aztec shares the same name as a Tennessee Titans legend and 2009 NFL leading rusher who once rushed for over 2,000 yards and earned the nickname CJ2K, he's a proven playmaker in his own right. Not only can he play inside and out as a boundary and nickel corner, but he is scheme diverse as well, capable of excelling in both tight-man and zone coverage.

Johnson is coming off a career-best senior season in 2025, where he recorded nine pass breakups and four interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns and tied for Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. Even if the Ravens bring back veteran Chidobe Awuzie, who was their most consistent perimeter cornerback last year, they can never have enough starting-caliber corners capable of playing multiple roles.

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Josh Reed
JOSH REED

Josh is a writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI focusing primarily on original content and reporting. He provides analysis, breakdowns, profiles, and reports on important news and transactions from and about the Ravens. His professional resume as a sports reporter includes covering local events, teams, and athletes in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska for Anchorage Daily News. His coverage on the Ravens and other NFL teams has been featured on Heavy.com/sports, Maryland Sports Blog and most recently Baltimore Beatdown from 2021 until 2025.

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