OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — For a couple of days in March, Baltimore's draft seemed a lot less significant — when the Ravens were about to trade this year's first-round pick and next year's for Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
Then Baltimore backed out of the deal.
So the Ravens still own the 14th overall selection in the NFL draft, equaling their highest pick in the last decade. After going 8-9 last season, Baltimore has a new coach in Jesse Minter — but the Eric DeCosta-led front office is a familiar one.
“We’re excited to have the pick this year at No. 14. We think we’re going to get a really good player,” DeCosta said. “You never know what’s going to happen at 14, too, right? You can move up, you can move back. We’ve done both over time.”
The only other recent time Baltimore picked as high as 14th was in 2022, when the Ravens took safety Kyle Hamilton. He's become a star.
As of now, Baltimore has 11 picks in this year's draft: one in each of the first four rounds, four in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh. Both seventh-rounders and two fifth-rounders are compensatory picks.
Need
Baltimore's offensive line struggled in spots last year, and that was before losing star center Tyler Linderbaum to free agency. Several mock drafts have the Ravens using their first-round pick on the offensive line, and the trenches in general could be a focus after Baltimore didn't live up to its usual reputation in terms of physicality in 2025.
"I definitely think that it’s a great draft for that. There’s a lot of talent on both sides of the line of scrimmage,” Minter said. “I think any good football team, it’s always been that way where you’re good on the line of scrimmage, obviously. And so, no matter if you’re coming off of a year where you’re the best offensive line or the best defensive line, I think you’re always looking to keep those areas as a strength.”
The Ravens also lost punter Jordan Stout, although you don't necessarily need to use the draft for that position. Depth at tight end is not what it was last season after the departures of Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar.
Don't need
Quarterback and running back are obviously set with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. There's always room for help in the secondary, but Baltimore has taken defensive backs in the first round in three of the last four drafts (Malaki Starks, Nate Wiggins and Hamilton) and may look in a different direction this time.
Like-minded franchises
Several players have made the move from Baltimore to the Giants after New York hired former Ravens coach John Harbaugh. And coach Jim Harbaugh's team — the Los Angeles Chargers — has plenty of Ravens influence. It's where Minter used to coach. Meanwhile, Cleveland hired former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as its coach.
DeCosta was asked about the possibility all these franchises might be targeting the same players.
“I think if they’re picking right around us, then I’m probably more concerned with it. We all know good football players, right?” he said. “And I think the other thing is I don’t want to be too predictable.”
