You know that feeling when you're playing a game and one person just seems to have the cheat codes? That’s basically the rest of the NFL watching the Baltimore Ravens on draft night. It’s honestly kind of annoying if you aren’t a Ravens fan. While other teams are panicking and reaching for a "toolsy" quarterback who can’t read a slant route, the Ravens just sit there. They wait. And then, inevitably, a top-10 talent falls to them at pick 24.
It’s a pattern. A weirdly consistent, decade-spanning pattern.
From the second they entered the league in 1996 and took Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis in the same first round, the Ravens 1st round picks have been the backbone of the franchise. But it’s not just luck. It’s a specific, almost stubborn philosophy that Eric DeCosta inherited from Ozzie Newsome. They don’t draft for what they need tomorrow morning; they draft for the best player available (BPA), even if that player is at a position where they’re already "set."
The "How Did He Fall to Them?" Phenomenon
If you want to understand why Baltimore is always in the mix, you have to look at the 2022 draft. Kyle Hamilton was widely considered a top-five talent. He’s a unicorn—a 6-foot-4 safety who moves like a corner and hits like a linebacker. People overthought his 40-yard dash time, and he slid.
Baltimore didn't blink. They snatched him at 14.
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Now? He’s an All-Pro and arguably the most versatile defender in football. Later that same night, they traded Marquise Brown to Arizona and turned that into Tyler Linderbaum. They basically traded a WR1 for a guy who became the best center in the league by his second year. That’s the Ravens' secret sauce: they value "boring" positions like center and safety more than the rest of the league, and they reap the rewards.
A Quick Look Back at Recent Hits
The last few years have been a clinic in roster building through the first round. Here’s a breakdown of how the most recent Ravens 1st round picks have fared:
- 2025: Malaki Starks, S (Georgia) – Starks was the 27th pick, and early returns suggest he’s the perfect Robin to Kyle Hamilton’s Batman. Taking another safety in the first round when you already have Hamilton seems crazy to some, but Baltimore cares about "density of talent" more than "positional need."
- 2024: Nate Wiggins, CB (Clemson) – Picked at 30. He’s had a bit of an up-and-down start—injuries hampered him early in 2025—but his recovery speed is legitimate. He’s the prototypical Ravens corner: long, fast, and aggressive.
- 2023: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) – Finally, a hit at wideout. Flowers changed the geometry of the offense. He’s the most dynamic receiver Lamar Jackson has ever had. He went for over 1,000 yards in his rookie year and remains a nightmare in the open field.
When the "Best Player Available" Fails
It’s not all gold jackets and Super Bowl rings, though. Honestly, the Ravens have had some "what were they thinking?" moments.
Matt Elam in 2013 was a disaster. Breshad Perriman (2015) couldn't stay on the field or catch the ball when he was on it. Even Hayden Hurst in 2018 feels like a "miss," mostly because they took him at 25 and then took Mark Andrews—who became a superstar—two rounds later.
But here’s the thing about Baltimore: even their misses often turn into assets. They traded Hurst to Atlanta for the pick that became J.K. Dobbins. They traded Marquise Brown (a 2019 first-rounder) for the pick that became Linderbaum. They are the kings of the "reset" button. If a first-rounder isn't a perfect fit, they flip him for more draft capital before his value craters.
The Philosophy: Ozzie vs. DeCosta
People wondered if things would change when Eric DeCosta took over for Ozzie Newsome in 2019.
It didn't.
DeCosta is arguably even more aggressive. He loves "volume." He’ll trade back to accumulate fourth-round picks because the Ravens' data shows that’s where the best value-to-cost ratio lives. But in the first round? He stays true to the board. If the 5th ranked player is still there at pick 20, he’s taking him. Period.
Why 2026 is a Pivot Point
As we head toward the 2026 NFL Draft, the Ravens find themselves at a bit of a crossroads. They’re slated to pick at 14—the same spot they got Kyle Hamilton.
The roster is aging in specific spots. The defensive line is getting older. Nnamdi Madubuike's injury history and contract situation have made the interior a concern. Early mock drafts are already linking the Ravens to guys like Peter Woods from Clemson or Keldric Faulk from Auburn.
Why does this matter? Because the Ravens almost never pick this high. When they do, they usually land a Hall of Famer.
- Pick 4 (1996): Jonathan Ogden.
- Pick 4 (1997): Peter Boulware.
- Pick 5 (2000): Jamal Lewis.
- Pick 6 (2016): Ronnie Stanley.
When Baltimore is in the top 15, they don't just find a starter; they find a cornerstone. If they stay at 14 in 2026, history says they’re about to land another decade-long starter.
The Lamar Jackson Factor
You can't talk about Ravens 1st round picks without mentioning the 2018 draft. It’s the single most important night in franchise history since 1996.
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The Ravens took Hayden Hurst at 25. Everyone thought they were done. Then, they traded back into the end of the first round to grab Lamar Jackson at 32. It was a masterclass in risk management. They got their "safe" pick (Hurst) and then took a swing on the most electric player in league history.
Lamar at 32 is arguably the greatest value pick in the history of the NFL draft, second only to maybe Tom Brady in the sixth. It allowed the Ravens to have a Heisman winner on a rookie contract for five years, which is the ultimate competitive advantage in the modern NFL.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're trying to predict who the Ravens will take in the first round, stop looking at "Need" charts. Seriously. Throw them away.
Instead, look for these three things:
- The "Sleeper" Slide: Is there a player who was a consensus top-10 pick in October but had a "meh" Combine or a minor injury? That’s the guy. Baltimore loves "buying the dip" on elite talent.
- The Trench Rule: If there is a massive, athletic defensive tackle or an immovable offensive lineman, the Ravens will take them. They believe games are won in the dirt, not the air.
- The Trade Back: If the board is "flat"—meaning they have 10 players graded similarly—they will trade back. DeCosta has no ego about picking in the first round if he can turn one pick into three.
Basically, the Ravens play the long game. They don't care about winning the "Draft Grade" articles the next morning. They care about having a roster full of guys who make the Pro Bowl three years later.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the defensive line prospects for the 2026 class. With the 14th pick, the Ravens are in "danger zone" territory for the rest of the AFC North. They are about to get a player who should have gone in the top five, and we'll all be sitting here in three years wondering how 13 other teams let it happen again.
To keep tabs on how these picks develop, follow the official Ravens' snap counts and PFF grades during the preseason. The Ravens often "redshirt" their first-rounders or rotate them heavily, so don't panic if a guy like Nate Wiggins or Malaki Starks isn't playing 100% of the snaps in Week 1. They're building for January, not September.