Pundit Looks at the Ideal Top Two Picks for the Ravens
When it comes to the Ravens’ draft strategy, they generally have a best-player-available philosophy while also being mindful of their needs.
NFL.com lead draft writer Eric Edholm put himself in all 32 teams’ shoes and came up with the ideal top two picks for each based on how each team might think.
Edholm has the Ravens taking Penn State guard Vega Ioane in the first round at No. 14 and Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in the second round at No. 45.
“Ravens fans might be sick of seeing the same name here, but Ioane would be an immediate upgrade at right guard and give them more talent and depth up front,” Edholm wrote. “Guards might not be high on the positional-value scale, but this could be a synergistic addition for an incomplete offensive line.
“The Banks pick might be a bit too on the nose, given the Ravens’ willingness to take calculated draft risks, but if he checks out medically, Banks could give the front another pressure source. And yes, I considered an edge rusher, but the value and fit weren’t there.”
Banks has gone in the first round in a number of mock drafts, with several linking him to the Ravens at No. 14. However, he could slide into the second round because of his injury history.
“The Florida standout looked like a top-10 prospect in 2024, with his relentless game-wrecking forcing opponents to alter their offensive plans,” NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks wrote. “But a foot injury limited him to just three games last year, and then he reportedly suffered a broken foot at the combine, apparently sidelining him until June. Banks is a staggering physical specimen – SEE: 35-inch arm length and 10 7/8-inch hand size – but the health woes make him a risky proposition as a potential first-round pick.”
