Roundtable reactions to the Ravens drafting SMU TE Matthew Hibner

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 29: Matthew Hibner #88 of the Southern Methodist University Mustangs catches a pass against the California Golden Bears in the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Ravens made an unusual move by trading up from the No. 154 pick to No. 133 to select SMU tight end Matthew Hibner. Here are Baltimore Beatdown’s reactions to the pick:

Sure? Hibner was completely unranked on our big board, but by no means is that an end-all, be-all evaluation. He checks a few basic boxes – namely size, athleticism, and reliable hands – but he leaves much to be desired as a playmaker. He does have the size and strength to develop into a solid blocker in Baltimore, but, at least in my eyes, there were a lot of better players available. That makes the trade up (not a bad value per se, but unnecessarily giving up future draft capital) – feel even worse. But then again, who am I to doubt the Ravens when it comes to tight ends? – Nikhil Mehta

This is a good pick, B grade. Hibner is nice, do-it-all tight end option for the Ravens who can slide into whatever role the Ravens need for him early. Can play at the slot, wing, or in-line. He won’t be great at any of them but has the chops to give a Charlie Kolar-like impact for them early. Scheme versatile with special teams ability. – Zach Canter

Hibner was far enough down the list of available TEs that I haven’t given him a good look, but his athletic profile is a good one that lends itself to helping open up running lanes and fighting for short yardage. Only the offensive staff knows exactly what his role looks like, but it’s big enough that they saw fit to trade back up to get him. – Kevin McNelis