Ravens rookie scouting report: Vega Ioane, future All-Pro guard?

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 4: Olaivavega Ioane #71 of the Penn State Nittany Lions blocks during the second half against UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 4, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Most Ravens fans have been familiar with former Penn State guard and first-round pick Vega Ioane for months. He was the most common mock draft projection for Baltimore’s first-rounder by fans and media experts alike. We at Baltimore Beatdown heavily featured him in our pre-draft coverage, but with the new draft class set, Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) will be providing in-depth scouting reports for each new Raven, starting with Ioane:

Short- and Long-Term Projection

The Ravens fielded one of the league’s least effective guard tandems last season, creating a clear need for improvement along the interior offensive line. Ioane projects as an immediate Week 1 starter at right guard, where his presence should significantly bolster the team’s pass protection when paired with John Simpson on the left side. Since Marshal Yanda’s retirement following the 2019 season, Baltimore has struggled to establish a long-term solution at guard, but Ioane offers a promising answer. At just 22 years old with a minimal injury history, he brings both durability and developmental upside, with the potential to become a multi-contract, even All-Pro player if his pass protection skills successfully translate to the NFL level. One of the Ravens’ biggest weaknesses of the last few years will now be a strength.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Ioane has been one of the more reliable interior pass protectors over the past two seasons, allowing zero sacks and just 16 pressures, a testament to his consistency and technique. He wins with vice-grip hands, precise punch timing, and impressive core strength, giving him a stout anchor against power rushers and the ability to neutralize momentum on contact. Ioane’s upper-body power stands out on tape, routinely overwhelming defenders who fail to stay square, while his ability to flip his hips and recover mid-rep helps him maintain control in tight quarters. Operating best in a condensed interior alignment, he shows solid awareness climbing to the second level, where proper hand placement often results in immediate wins against smaller defenders.