Ravens' History at the 27th Pick

The Baltimore Ravens have spent the majority of their three decades of existence without having to worry about whether they'll land at the top of the NFL Draft order, usually armed with an elite defense and a field general capable of winning Super Bowls, MVPs or both.

Despite having only played 29 seasons in Baltimore, the Ravens have cashed in on 18 first round picks from the 20th position or later, hitting more often than missing. They used 1996's #26 pick, the second of their first ever draft, on Ray Lewis, and went on to snag other all-time greats like Ed Reed and Lamar Jackson with more of those late first-rounders.

The team was assigned the 27th pick following their most recent 12-5 season, marking the third time that the franchise has been granted this exact spot in the draft. Neither of the prospects who the team locked in on have made any Pro Bowl or All Pro appearances, but the team has yet to swing and miss when picking at #27.

The first player they scooped up from there, Jimmy Smith, more or less kicked off a consistent 15-year stretch stretch in which the Ravens picked around this late stage in the first round every year.

Smith paid off Baltimore's trust in him by rattling off 11 years as a mainstay in the dreaded Ravens' secondary, appearing in at least 10 games in all but two seasons. He appeared in Super Bowl XLVII, playing a part in the Ravens beating the San Fransisco 49ers 34-31, and participated in 10 playoff games before retiring in 2022 as a franchise lifer.