Ravens boost defense early, then add intrigue by picking a 6th-round kicker in the NFL draft

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens entered the NFL draft with few major holes — but they still made plenty of news.

The Ravens added help for their secondary in the first round, then took a pass rusher in the second who comes with some off-field concerns. On the final day, Baltimore took a kicker, suggesting that the team is at least preparing for the possibility that the post-Justin Tucker era could begin soon.

Baltimore made 11 picks in all, six in the final two rounds. The Ravens used six picks — including their first two — on defense.

“I think it's very cyclical,” general manager Eric DeCosta said. “I think early on this year we did spend some picks on defense. I think we got some great football players, important positions.”

Baltimore took safety Malaki Starks of Georgia in the first round and then picked edge rusher Mike Green of Marshall in the second. The Ravens could still use another run stopper, and DeCosta said there are other ways they can take care of that need.

Starks was eager to contribute to Baltimore's impressive defensive legacy.

“When someone says, ‘Raven football,’ you know what they’re talking about as soon as they say it," Starks said. "I’m a guy who loves football, but also surrounding myself with good people, good men, because I’m still young, and I’m still learning. So, just being able to be at a place like this is huge for me and my family.”

The Ravens insisted they did their due diligence on Green, who transferred from Virginia to Marshall before his final two college seasons. Green said at the NFL scouting combine that he transferred after being accused of sexual assault for a second time.

Green told reporters at the combine that he also was accused of sexual assault in high school. He said he was never charged and insisted he did nothing wrong.

The Ravens are also waiting on an NFL investigation into Tucker. The Baltimore Banner has reported that over a dozen massage therapists have accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior. Tucker has maintained he did not act inappropriately while receiving professional bodywork treatment.

With Tucker's status uncertain, the Ravens drafted kicker Tyler Loop of Arizona in the sixth round.

Coach John Harbaugh indicated the team had spoken to Tucker about the possibility of drafting a kicker. The team had made it clear publicly it might happen.

“He was in this week kicking and working out, so we had conversations, and he already understood," Harbaugh said. "He knew the situation, and you guys knew, he had seen all those kinds of quotes too. So, he knew that was a possibility.”

The last time the Ravens had this many selections was in 2022, and that class yielded safety Kyle Hamilton, center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive tackle Travis Jones, offensive lineman Daniel Faalele and tight end Isaiah Likely.

The Ravens can hope for similar production from their 2025 group.

Aside from Starks, Green and Loop, Baltimore also selected: LSU tackle Emery Jones Jr. in the third round; California linebacker Teddye Buchanan in the fourth; Alabama A&M tackle Carson Vinson in the fifth; Western Michigan cornerback Bilhal Kone, Colorado wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, Virginia Tech defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles and Rutgers cornerback Robert Longerbeam in the sixth; and LSU guard Garrett Dellinger in the seventh.

Kicker wasn't the only special teams spot on DeCosta's mind. Wester has a chance to contribute as a punt returner after scoring twice in that role in college.

“We think he’s a twitchy, explosive punt returner,” DeCosta said. “I think last year it became evident that we could probably get better there at that position. I feel like last year, probably, I didn’t do a good enough job making sure that we had a good punt returner on the team. We had some guys, but we couldn’t get the right mix, the right guy to really do it, and we think Wester has a chance.”

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