Ravens' NFL draft: Baltimore reloads the trenches in a 7-round mock

It's that time of year again- full-on NFL Draft season. A mock draft is basically a quasi-crossword puzzle for football nerds, a group of which I proudly claim ownership. After all, I've made a full first-round NFL mock draft every year since 2010.

But for now, we'll focus on just the Baltimore Ravens, who got the NFL offseason started with a bang when they traded their first-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby.  As you obviously know, the trade fell through, so the Ravens have their pick back, and with it, an added spotlight on what they might do with it.

Here's my one and only seven-round Raven mock draft ahead of next week's three-day selection process.

Round 1: No. 14 Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

Going with a very safe choice here, as this pick is extremely popular in mock drafts all over the internet. With Tyler Linderbaum now with the Raiders, the interior of the Ravens' offensive line needs strengthening. No one drafts a center in the first round these days, so offensive guard it is. And OG has been in need of an upgrade for a while now.

Round 2: No. 45, Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois

"He's gonna make a lot of money in the NFL one day," Jacas' teammate, Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, said during a media availability at a Chicago Cubs game last preseason.  That day is coming next Friday (Altmyer will likely have to wait until the next day, probably sometime in rounds five through seven) as Jacas has a solid round two grade. The Big Ten's sack leader (for regular season only) would have racked up even better numbers, had then Defensive Coordinator Aaron Henry been adept at utilizing more aggressive blitz packages.

Under Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver, the Port St. Lucie, FL native could reach his highest potential.

Round 3: No. 80, Darrell Jackson, DL, Florida State

The Ravens need more depth, talent, and youth on the D-line, and we firmly believe General Manager Eric DeCosta will make that happen. Right now, you know he has his team working hard to evaluate the top prospects in this position group.  Jackson would be a great value proposition here, as he needs work on the fundamentals. He's got size, strength, and talent already, but he still needs to be "coached up." The new staff in Baltimore can do just that.

Round 4: No. 115, Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma

Burks' statistical production, at both Purdue and Oklahoma, left something to be desired, but there is untapped potential here in the slot. The secret to reaching that potential is probably just having the right quarterback, and the two-time MVP in Baltimore might just be the perfect guy to reach Burks and help maximize his game.

Round 5: No. 154, Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC

Entering this season, some scouts and pundits believed that Lane, not Makai Lemon, was the Trojan's wideout to keep a close eye on. Obviously, it's not Lemon who is a sure-fire first-rounder, not Lane, but the talent and potential are clearly there.

Round 5: No. 162, Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah

The Ravens need to stockpile pass-catchers. They'll likely use at least two picks on receivers, and they must address the TE position, too. Mark Andrews is not getting any younger, and Isaiah Likely followed John Harbaugh to the New York Giants. And while they did sign Durham Smythe, Charlie Kolar now plays for the other Harbaugh brother, in L.A.

Round 5: No. 173, Skyler Gill-Howard, DT, Texas Tech

Can't stress enough how much Baltimore needs to improve their defensive line this offseason. Apologies if this gets repetitive. Gill-Howard could be a good value pick around this point in the draft. This idea has already been explored on the site.

Round 5: No. 174, Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas

Maybe the Ravens won't need to carry three quarterbacks, but it wouldn't hurt to spend a late-round pick (because you have so many to work with) on one. Devin Leary, who Baltimore selected in the sixth round in 2024, didn't make the final cut, but don't sleep on Green. He had a great Senior Bowl week of practice and augmented his draft stock quite a bit in Mobile.

Round 6: No. 211, Jaeden Roberts, OG, Alabama

Ravens need to add consistency and depth at guard, a position that seems to be perpetually in flux in recent years.

Round 7: No. 250, Roman Hemby, RB, Indiana

He's the perfect prospect to fill a change-of-pace back need. He was the complementary/supplementary RB for the historically impressive juggernaut that was 2025 IU Hoosier football, and he could be that role player in Baltimore, too.After all, there is a void here now with Keaton Mitchell having left for L.A.

Round 7: No. 253, Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama

He is a pure WILL linebacker, in every sense of the word, and that is a position to keep an eye on in Baltimore. It’s the most questionable of the three LB positions in Charm City, so trying to shore it up is a good idea.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens could address the offensive line and WR in the 2026 NFL Draft