With the No. 14 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Ravens selected guard Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State.
The top guard prospect in the draft, Ioane was a three-year starter in college. He has prototypical size at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, a strong base and quick feet. He is a physical blocker and often overpowered opponents in the run game and anchors well in the passing game. He is expected to immediately take over one of the starting guard spots on the offensive line for the Ravens.
“I’m real excited,” Ioane told reporters via Zoom after being drafted. “Biggest thing for me is coming in and proving myself. For me, being surrounded by great players like [the Ravens have] is going to make me better and that’s all I can ask for.”
Disruptive edge rusher Ruben Bain Jr., tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Makai Lemon were all available when the Ravens were on the clock, but they chose Ioane to rebuild their offensive line, which struggled in 2025 to protect Lamar Jackson and open consistent holes in the run game.
“We think he’s a great fit for us,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said in a news conference after the pick. “He’s going to make us better, make the middle of our offense very strong.”
“I’m bringing my pass protection, that’s something I work on every day,” Ioane said. “Nobody’s going to touch my quarterback, simple as that. In the run game, I’m a mauler.”
Entering the draft, the Ravens needed to fill several gaps on their roster — namely interior offensive line, tight end, wide receiver and edge rusher. Reports surfaced on April 22 that defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike should recover from his career-threatening neck injury and return for the 2026 season, but they likely will want to add depth along the defensive line as well. They checked one box with Ioane but will need to continue to address the other positions in later rounds.
The Ravens hadn’t drafted this high since 2022, when they also had pick No. 14 and selected safety Kyle Hamilton. The Ravens have an excellent track record when picking early in the first round. In franchise history, they have drafted 14 players in the top 20. Eight became first-team All-Pros and nine made multiple Pro Bowls. One who doesn’t qualify for either category won a Super Bowl MVP. Expectations will be high, but the Ravens will hope Ioane has a similar impact.
“He reminds me a little bit of Haloti Ngata,” DeCosta said. “The way he carries himself with quiet confidence really stood out.”
This story was updated with quotes after its original publication.
Photo Credit: Mark Selders