Ravens Urged to Steer Clear of Top Draft Prospect

The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2025 NFL Draft with few glaring needs, but there are some there, nonetheless. More specifically, the Ravens need help on the defensive side of the ball. Many expect them to look at the secondary in the first round, as they lack a starting cornerback opposite Nate Wiggins on the boundary. They could also go with an edge rusher, as they lack a ton of youth at the position and could be looking to move Odafe Oweh.

While the Ravens have been one of the best drafting teams in the NFL, there is always room for error when it comes to the unpredictability of the draft. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report went through every team to point out one prospect they should avoid, and named Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart as someone the Ravens should steer clear of.

"There are two things the Baltimore Ravens just love to do during the NFL draft," Sobleski writes. "First, the organization is probably the best at simply standing pat and letting a top talent come to them. Second, the front office enjoys drafting toolsy, developmental edge-rushers. If Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart is available, he fits both criteria. Really, the Ravens need to resist. Yes, Stewart presents tremendous upside. He's an elite athlete with the type of profile that signals a 10-sack-per-season career. But he's never been that prospect at the collegiate level. Furthermore, the Ravens don't have time to waste on waiting another three or four years hoping Stewart develops, as Odafe Oweh eventually did. With Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level on an annual basis, the Ravens need immediate impact additions."

Being in win-now mode does make the draft a bit of a double-edged sword for teams like the Ravens. Obviously, you want to find prospects that you can develop for the future, but would love even more if there are players that can be immediate difference-makers, which isn't always the case when it comes to rookies. Baltimore would almost be better off calling around and looking for any potential star they can acquire with that pick to help them get to the Super Bowl.