The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2025 NFL Draft with a solid roster and a fully stocked cupboard of 11 picks, including the 27th overall selection. With a strong foundation in place, General Manager Eric DeCosta has the flexibility to address both immediate needs and future depth across the roster.
Fans and analysts alike anticipate the Ravens focusing on bolstering their defense, particularly the defensive line and secondary, while also considering offensive line reinforcements. Look out for players like Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College), Tyler Booker (Alabama), and Malaki Starks (Georgia).
As the draft approaches, speculation runs rampant regarding potential trades and sneaky moves. The Ravens have a history of leveraging their draft capital to move up or down the board, depending on how the draft unfolds. With several teams potentially eyeing quarterbacks late in the first round, Baltimore could find itself in a prime position to trade back and accumulate additional assets.
In light of the upcoming draft, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the Ravens’ first-round selections over the past decade. From franchise cornerstones to players who didn’t quite meet expectations, here’s a ranking of Baltimore’s first-round picks from the last ten years.
Ranking every Ravens first-round pick of the last 10 years
13. Breshad Perrimen, WR (2015 - 26th)
Perriman had the tools. The speed was real. The deep-ball flashes were there. But between the drops, the injuries, and the lack of polish, he never quite figured it out in Baltimore. The Ravens needed a WR1, and they ended up with a career journeyman. Unfortunately, not much more to say.
12. Hayden Hurst, TE (2018 - 25th)
He’s had a solid NFL career, no question. But as far as the Ravens are concerned, he’ll always be remembered as the other first-round tight end from 2018. Baltimore drafted him before Lamar and Mark Andrews—and somehow ended up with the third-best value in that trio. Hurst was fine, but Andrews quickly leapfrogged him, which made the pick feel redundant fast.
11. Nate Wiggins, CB (2024 - 30th)
It’s early, but there’s already plenty to like. Wiggins showed flashes of why the Ravens made him a first-round pick—blazing speed, sticky coverage, and a nose for the ball. He had some rookie bumps, like most corners do, but by the end of the year he was the best outside corner for a secondary that desperately needed help. Too soon to rank him higher, but the arrow’s pointing way up.
10. Rashod Bateman, WR (2021 - 27th)
Bateman was supposed to be the guy—a true No. 1 wideout for Lamar. And to be fair, the talent is obvious. He’s got the route running, the hands, the explosiveness. But between injuries and stretches of just not being featured, it’s all felt a little incomplete. His 2024 season reminded people why he was a first-rounder, but the breakout still feels like it’s waiting to happen.
9. Marquise Brown, WR (2019 - 25th)
Hollywood brought the flash. Speed, separation, and a knack for the big play—he had all that. But for a first-round pick, the connection with Jackson never fully clicked the way fans hoped. Then came the trade request, the move to Arizona, and then a fresh start in Kansas City. There were moments where he looked like a game-changer, but consistency and durability kept him from ever fully living up to the billing in Baltimore.
8. Zay Flowers, WR (2023 - 22nd)
Unlike many of the other receivers on this list, it didn’t take long for Zay Flowers to become a reliable target in Baltimore. He set rookie records, made the Pro Bowl, and actually gave Lamar a go-to wideout who could win after the catch. Year two? Over 1,000 yards and even more jaw-dropping highlights. He’s already delivered more than most Ravens first-round receivers ever have (did someone say Pro Bowl)—and he’s just getting started.
7. Odafe Oweh, DE (2021 - 31st)
Oweh came in as a raw prospect with freaky tools, and for a while, the production didn’t quite match the traits. But 2024 was his breakout—finally hitting double-digit sacks and flashing that disruptive edge Baltimore hoped for. Still, with his fifth-year option looming and no extension yet, it’s fair to wonder if the Ravens see him as part of the long-term plan or just a late bloomer who’ll peak elsewhere.
6. Patrick Queen, LB (2020 - 28th)
Patrick Queen didn’t just find his footing in Baltimore—he hit the ground sprinting. After a few early bumps, he turned into a tone-setting linebacker and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2023 while helping lead the Ravens to one of the best defensive seasons in the league.
Of course, it stings that he’s now wearing black and gold in Pittsburgh, but money talks. Still, you can’t talk about Baltimore’s recent first-rounders without giving Queen his due.
5. Tyler Linderbaum, C (2022 - 25th)
Kind of crazy that Linderbaum made the top five, but he's earned it. There aren’t many centers in the league that can change the tone of an offense the way Linderbaum does. Drafted in 2022, he’s already got back-to-back Pro Bowl nods and is well on his way to cashing in with a massive extension.
He’s quick, strong, technically sharp, and everything you want anchoring your line. In a class that also produced Kyle Hamilton, the Ravens somehow managed to land two All-Pro caliber players in one round. That’s not just a draft win. That’s franchise building.
4. Ronnie Stanley, OT (2016 - 6th)
When healthy, Ronnie Stanley is one of the best left tackles in football. The Ravens made him their top pick in 2016 for a reason, and he proved them right with a dominant 2019 season that earned him both Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
Injuries have been a hurdle since, but 2024 was a bounce-back year—starting all 17 games and anchoring the blind side like old times. He’s been a foundational piece in keeping Lamar Jackson upright and the offense humming.
3. Marlon Humphrey, CB (2017 - 16th)
When you talk about Ravens football over the last decade, Marlon Humphrey’s name is usually one of the first that comes up. Which is why it was very tough to not have him at No. 2.
Drafted in 2017, he’s been a tone-setter on defense ever since. With four Pro Bowls and a pair of First-team All-Pro selections (2019, 2024), he’s done it all—on the outside, in the slot, and wherever else Baltimore’s needed him. Physical, relentless, and rarely shy about letting you hear it, Humphrey’s been one of the true staples of this era.
2. Kyle Hamilton, S (2022 - 14th)
There’s a reason Kyle Hamilton might be the next Raven to reset the market at his position. Since being drafted in 2022, he’s done nothing but prove he belongs in every defensive conversation. A two-time Pro Bowler and First-team All-Pro by year two, Hamilton is the modern blueprint for a positionless defender.
Safety? Sure. Slot corner? Done. Linebacker? When needed. He’s everywhere—and he’s everywhere fast. Hamilton is the future face of the Ravens' defense.
1. Lamar Jackson, QB (2018 - 32nd)
Duh. Could it have been anyone else? The Ravens traded back into the first round in 2018 to grab Lamar Jackson at pick No. 32, and all he’s done since is win two MVPs (should have won a third), reset the quarterback rushing record book, and single-handedly make Baltimore a consistent Super Bowl threat.
Libraries could be filled with books written about how incredible he is. He’s the most electric player in NFL history—and maybe the most dynamic athlete the league’s ever seen under center. This wasn’t just a good pick. It was a franchise-altering one. Now, he just has to get over that Super Bowl hump.
