Joe Serpico evaluates how the Ravens did in the 2025 NFL Draft and looks at the team’s class of undrafted free agents.
2025 Ravens Draft Class
Round 1, Pick 27: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Round 2, Pick 59: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Round 3, Pick 91: Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU
Round 4, Pick 129: Teddye Buchanan, LB, California
Round 5, Pick 141: Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M
Round 6, Pick 178: Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan
Round 6, Pick 186: Tyler Loop, K, Arizona
Round 6, Pick 203: LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado
Round 6, Pick 210: Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech
Round 6, Pick 212: Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers
Round 7, Pick 243: Garrett Dellinger, OG, LSU
Reported Undrafted Free-Agent Signings
Diwun Black, EDGE, Temple
Jayson Jones, DL, Auburn
Nash Hutmacher, DL, Nebraska
Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
Chandler Martin, LB, Memphis
Keondre Jackson, DB, Illinois State
Desmond Igbinoson, DB, Rutgers
Marquise Robinson, CB, Arkansas
Marcus Major Jr., RB, Minnesota
Sone Ntoh, RB, Monmouth
Jahmal Banks, WR, Nebraska
Xavier Guillory, WR, Arizona State
Sam Pitz, TE, Minnesota – Duluth
Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, OT, Oregon State
Ozzie Hutchinson, OL, Albany
Jared Penning, OL, Northern Iowa
Reid Holskey, OT, Miami (Ohio)
My Thoughts On Each Pick:
Round 1, Pick 27: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia: The board fell the Ravens’ way. Starks a dream pick for the organization. The addition of Starks allows Kyle Hamilton to move back into the hybrid role he thrived in during the 2023 season.
Round 2, Pick 59: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall: A first-round talent who fell due to character concerns, Green is hoping to break the curse of pass rushers the Ravens have selected in the second round.
Round 3, Pick 91: Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU: I previously mocked Jones to the Ravens. He is a mauler in the run game and has the versatility to play both tackle and guard. He’ll compete for one of the starting guard positions.
Round 4, Pick 129: Teddye Buchanan, LB, California: Many expected a linebacker to be drafted at some point, but this felt like a major reach at this stage of the draft. Buchanan was rated outside the top 250 players by most draft evaluators.
Round 5, Pick 141: Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M: Vinson is another offensive lineman I mocked to the Ravens. He excels in the run game but has some work to do in pass protection. He’s a fluid athlete the Ravens can develop.
Round 6, Pick 178: Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan: Kone fits the Ravens’ mold with his physical traits. He excels in zone coverage, but he’ll be asked to contribute on special teams early on.
Round 6, Pick 186: Tyler Loop, K, Arizona: It should not be a shock to anyone that the Ravens drafted a kicker. Even without the off-the-field allegations, Justin Tucker was shaky last season.
Round 6, Pick 203: LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado: Wester is a slot receiver who will initially make his mark on special teams. He will be a candidate to return kicks this season.
Round 6, Pick 210: Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech: He is undersized but has a relentless motor. Bigger offensive linemen will have their way with him.
Round 6, Pick 212: Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers: Longerbeam is one of the most experienced cornerbacks in the draft and ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. I’m surprised he fell to the sixth round.
Round 7, Pick 243: Garrett Dellinger, OG, LSU: Much like his college teammate, Dellinger thrives in the run game. Many evaluators had him as a top-150 prospect, so he is a steal at this stage of the draft.
What The Ravens Could Have Done Differently:
Avoided Mike Green.
There is no denying the talent. Green led the FBS with 17 sacks last season and many felt he would be a high draft pick. The Ravens have a need at pass rusher with Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo entering the final year of their contracts. The pick could not have come at a worse time given the recent accusations against Justin Tucker. Green has been accused of sexual assault allegations in high school and college, the latter forcing him to transfer from Virginia to Marshall. General manager Eric DeCosta said the team did its due diligence in investigating Green. https://pressboxonline.com/2025/04/26/ravens-select-marshall-edge-mike-green-lsu-ot-emery-jones-in-second-day-of-2025-nfl-draft/
Waited to draft Teddye Buchanan.
The Ravens appeared to lose trust in Trenton Simpson last season and did nothing to improve the position in free agency, so it is no surprise they drafted a linebacker. Most did not have Buchanan in the top 250 prospects, so it was shocking to see him go at No. 129. It is even more surprising considering some of the players drafted immediately after made more sense for the Ravens. Speaking of some of those players …
Drafted a defensive tackle higher.
This was a deep class for defensive linemen, but waiting until the sixth round for an undersized player who will not make an immediate impact was head-scratching. There were plenty of high-quality interior linemen available in the fourth round for Baltimore. Tonka Hemingway, Joshua Farmer, Cam Jackson, Rylie Mills, Jordan Phillips and Ty Hamilton were all selected in the 20 picks after the Ravens took Buchanan. Each one of those defensive tackles would have been a much stronger addition to the rotation than the undersized Aeneas Peebles.
Added more playmakers on offense.
I am stunned the Ravens exited the draft with just one skill position player. LaJohntay Wester can make the roster as a kick returner, but I doubt he contributes as a receiver. No one expected a wideout to be a high pick, but the future of the position is murky. DeAndre Hopkins is on a one-year deal and Rashod Bateman’s time with the team is uncertain after 2026. Tez Walker and Tylan Wallace played sparingly on offense last season. Adding another receiver to the mix in the fourth round would have made sense. I understand wanting to protect star quarterback Lamar Jackson, but teams can never have too many playmakers.
Overall Grade: B
The Ravens went heavy on defense. They landed a game-changer for the entire unit in Starks. The playmaker from Georgia can play both safety positions, which allows Kyle Hamilton to be used all over the field. You can make an argument Baltimore has the strongest starting secondary in the NFL with the addition of Starks.
There are mixed feelings among the fan base about Green. The Ravens needed another pass rusher, and Green was one of the top prospects in this class. There is no debating that. The multiple sexual assault allegations are alarming. If he is a model citizen during his NFL career and produces for the franchise, it will all be forgotten.
The Ravens addressed all of their needs in this draft, even if you don’t agree with the players they selected. They needed depth along the offensive line and added three more to the mix. They landed their prized safety while also adding depth at cornerback. I am not a fan of the order of the picks, but a linebacker and kick returner were also necessary in this draft. It should be no surprise they drafted a kicker.
I would have liked to have seen another running back or wide receiver added to the mix. Wester is strictly a kick returner who might get a few gadget plays, but he will not be a factor on offense. Derrick Henry showed us last year he is not slowing down, but the Ravens are in trouble if they need to rely on Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell full time. This was a rich class of running backs and I was surprised Baltimore did not tap into that market.
It seems inevitable that one of the undrafted free agents will make the roster. I mocked Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins to the Ravens several times this spring, so I’ll be keeping an eye on him throughout minicamp.
One last takeaway: Mark Andrews is still with the club. Many speculated he would be traded at some point during draft weekend. Not only did the Ravens not trade the Pro Bowler, but they did not take a tight end in this draft. A trade can still happen this summer, but seems less likely with the Ravens not using any draft capital on one.
What did you think of this draft?
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Georgia, LSU, Alabama A&M, Colorado and Virginia Tech Athletics