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The Baltimore Ravens are seen as one of the teams to beat in the AFC, and with the franchise's draft haul, could be key in pushing the organization forward in 2026.
The Ravens had a big roster issue at center, a position that needs urgent reinforcement after Tyler Linderbaum left in free agency.
Olaivavega Ioane was taken in the first round as the interior of the offensive line was fixed, but the center position is still a need.
For Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, he's given the Ravens a B- grade for their draft haul.
"While the Ravens didn’t draft a center to replace Tyler Linderbaum, they did a nice job with almost everything else," Verderame wrote. "On the first night, Baltimore landed the best interior prospect in the draft, selecting Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane. Come Friday evening, the Ravens took Missouri edge rusher Zion Young to rotate into the pass rush before selecting their first of two receivers, Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt.
"If one of the wideouts ends up becoming a factor, and Baltimore gets some juice from Young in the pass rush, those will be considered huge wins over the draft’s final two days."
More: Bills get brutal NFL Draft grade as questions surround GM's strategy
Ravens need draft class to hit
It is the same with every other NFL team, but for Baltimore, given how last season panned out, new head coach Jesse Minter can't afford for his early-round picks not to be decent contributors in Year 1.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Ravens have an urgent need to return to being the dominant force they were before 2025.
Yes, injuries played a role, and now with Minter taking over from John Harbaugh, coupled with a good draft class, maybe Baltimore's arrow is beginning to trend up.
And who knows, maybe the 2026 draft will be the key to powering the playoff charge for Minter.
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