In a draft class that many pundits said didn’t have many blue-chip prospects, the Ravens got a guard they can count on to excel for a very long time. The Ravens could have drafted EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., who slipped down the board and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the next pick. The pick was immediately called the “safest” of the first round because it made the most sense and Ioane is such a clean prospect.
It’s the highest Baltimore has ever selected a guard, but the Ravens have excelled when they’ve eschewed traditional positional value to take the best player. Multiple draft analysts feel he’s the best guard prospect since the Colts’ Quenton Nelson, who was drafted sixth overall in 2018 and has gone to eight Pro Bowls.
The Ravens lost Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency but signed veteran guard John Simpson to man one guard spot, and now used a first-round pick on Ioane to lock down the other. Two towering guards in the middle of Baltimore’s offensive line, with Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten at the tackle spots, set the Ravens offense up to be better up front despite Linderbaum’s exit.
In the ground game, the All-American paved the way in power downhill running, gap schemes, and zone running. Ioane didn’t give up a sack or get flagged for a penalty over the past two seasons.
Ioane is excited to play with Jackson and Henry and said he has to “earn my keep.”
“With the pass game, I’m coming in with the mentality that I’m not trying to get beat,” Ioane said. “Nobody’s going to touch my quarterback. It’s as simple as that.”
