.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
The Baltimore Ravens stood firm at their No. 14 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
In an opening night filled with trades, Baltimore trusted its gut and didn't make a move.
In the end, they got the guy they wanted: Vega Ioane, the offensive guard from Penn State.
Turns out, they may also have snagged him before AFC North rival Pittsburgh could.
In a new article on Thursday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers were one of many teams in on Ioane.
"One industry source keeping close tabs on the guard market believed divisional rival Pittsburgh had an affinity for Ioane, though it's unclear whether it would have moved up that far," Fowler writes of the Steelers, who were picking 21st.
MORE: Diego Pavia, Shedeur Sanders and an NFL QB problem that goes back to Tim Tebow
It also turns out, according to Fowler, that the Los Angeles Rams' surprise decision to take QB Ty Simpson with the 13th pick was crucial for Baltimore.
"The Rams received calls about their No. 13 spot, one ahead of Baltimore," Fowler writes. "The Ravens were heavily linked to Ioane, so any suitor needed to get ahead of them. The Ravens were concerned they would potentially get jumped."
Sometimes, drafts play out just how a team hopes. And sure, no front office is going to admit afterward that things went terribly wrong.
Still, it sounds like this is how the Ravens would've wanted things to go. They didn't have to give up draft capital to make a move up the board, and they still got a hugely impactful player who can help their team for years to come.
English (US)