Ravens Look to Keep First-Round Magic Going

The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the NFL's better drafting teams over their history, but even by their lofty standards, they've been on a roll lately.

Since 2022, the Ravens have made four first-round picks, and have turned every single one into a core contributor. They drafted safety Kyle Hamilton at number 14 overall and center Tyler Linderbaum at number 25 in 2022, wide receiver Zay Flowers at number 22 in 2023 and cornerback Nate Wiggins at number 30 in 2024.

Three of those four players have already made the Pro Bowl, and Wiggins, the only one who hasn't yet, showed clear Pro Bowl potential in his rookie season. Hamilton and Linderbaum have also made two Pro Bowls apiece.

That's impressive enough for any team, but especially for one that's drafted as late as the Ravens have.

Going back even further, the Ravens have hit on the vast majority of their first-round picks over the past decade. The last time they truly missed on one was when they selected tight end Hayden Hurst at number 25 overall in 2018, and even then, he's still in the league today. Before that, it was probably when they selected wide receiver Breshad Perriman at number 26 overall in 2016.

With such a good track record over the past decade, the Ravens of course have some pressure to hit on this year's pick. Some of the top projected targets for them at number 27 overall include Alabama guard Tyler Booker, Georgia safety Malaki Starks and Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr., all of whom would fill major needs. Whether or not they would develop into Pro Bowl players, though, remains to be seen.

The 2025 NFL Draft takes place from Thursday-Saturday in Green Bay, Wisc.