Ravens stack up the secondary by doubling down on Day 3 corners

The Baltimore Ravens doubled down on their Day 3 secondary plan Saturday, selecting Rutgers cornerback Robert Longerbeam with the 212th overall pick. After already grabbing Bilhal Kone earlier in the sixth round, Baltimore wasted no time adding more competition to the defensive backfield.

Longerbeam may not have generated huge pre-draft buzz, but he’s the type of developmental athlete the Ravens love to mold. He ran a pretty fast 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and posted elite explosion numbers, including a 36.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad jump—tops among all defensive backs.

With concerns about depth behind Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, and Chidobe Awuzie, this move makes perfect sense.

Robert Longerbeam gives Ravens another athletic dart throw at cornerback

On paper, Longerbeam brings plenty to like. He’s 5-foot-11, with smooth hips, quick feet, and true NFL-caliber speed. At Rutgers, he was a model of consistency, starting 31 games and posting 42 career pass breakups while holding his own against Big Ten competition.

Longerbeam’s instincts, competitiveness, and ball skills flashed throughout his college career. But like Kone, he needs to add weight and strength to hold up against bigger receivers at the next level. He’s listed at just 175 pounds, and that will be something Baltimore’s strength and conditioning staff will focus on right away.

He wouldn't be the first corner to battle weight concerns—there were concerns with Wiggins last year and he turned out just fine.

It’s no secret the Ravens’ philosophy is to stack up athletes at defensive back and let the best ones survive training camp battles. Longerbeam may start off as a special teams contributor, but if he can refine his technique and fill out his frame, he has the tools to eventually push for rotational snaps.

Baltimore isn’t messing around when it comes to their secondary reload. Drafting Kone and Longerbeam within a few picks of each other shows just how serious they are about ensuring depth won’t be a problem again in 2025. This is all in addition to drafting Malaki Starks with the 27th overall pick. Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr and Senior Secondary Coach Chuck Pagano will have a lot of new toys to play with this offseason.