B-
Baltimore Ravens
A solid, sensible weekend for the Ravens: B-.
by EricOhmer ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
The Ravens looked at the value chart, folded it up, and took Patrick Payton at Round 5, Pick 14 regardless, 94 picks early.
The Slaughter pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. They went 8 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 14 they get a building block for the line. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Fair-plus on Chris Bell, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Jake Slaughter in the 80th overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Tacario Davis in the 115th pick. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Patrick Payton well ahead of where he belonged. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A clean, defensible pick in pick No. 162 with a little surplus value in Zxavian Harris. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
J'Mari Taylor in pick No. 173 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Value said wait; Riley Nowakowski in Round 5, Pick 34 says they were not listening. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They will replay Jeff Caldwell at the Round 6 slot for years; that is how good the value is. The roster fit checks out.
They took Alan Herron at par in slot 250, which is nothing to complain about. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
By-the-book stuff, Jalon Daniels at No. 253 squarely in line with his ranking. A need, and now a little less of one.