Has ESPN’s Field Yates been reading Baltimore Beatdown? In his mock draft on Tuesday, he projected two of our top 16 players to be drafted by the Ravens with their first two picks.
Round 1, Pick. No 14: Spencer Fano (OL, Utah)
In the first round, the Ravens snagged Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano, the No. 9 prospect on Baltimore Beatdown’s 2026 Big Board. He played offensive tackle in college, but his arm length does not meet NFL standards for the position, likely positioning him for a switch to
guard or center. Here’s what Yates had to say about Fano’s fit in Baltimore:
The Ravens lost Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders in free agency, while their starting guards (Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees) ranked 32nd in pass block win rate last season. Baltimore signed guard John Simpson to a three-year deal, but it could continue to beef up its interior offensive line with this pick. Fano spent the past two years at right tackle and has experience at left tackle, but his 32⅛-inch arms have convinced some evaluators that he would be better at guard or center. He practiced snaps for NFL teams after his combine workout in Indy. No matter what position Fano ends up at, he has premier fluidity and movement skills (4.91-second 40-yard dash) for an offensive lineman.
Tackle-to-guard transitions are not as easy as they seem, and Fano would have to adjust even more to play center. The latter position would be a major gamble for a Ravens team with a sense of urgency heading into the 2026 season. But Fano is an outstanding athlete with a 9.74 Relative Athletic Score (via ras.football) and an excellent track record in pass protection with zero sacks or quarterback hits and just five pressures allowed in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. He’d be a valuable addition to the offensive line – especially if he can snap a football.
Grade: A-
Fano is scheme-versatile and one of the best blockers in this draft class, and Baltimore needs to build the trenches. However, our No. 8 prospect Makai Lemon was still on the board, resulting in an A-.
Round 2, Pick No. 45: T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
With their second pick, the Ravens added Clemson edge rusher and Baltimore Beatdown’s No. 16 prospect T.J. Parker. He was considered a potential top-10 pick entering the 2025 season, but his production dipped sharply after 11.0 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in 2024. Plus, defensive linemen have a way of falling to the Ravens on Day 2. Here’s why Yates brought Parker to Baltimore:
General manager Eric DeCosta said the team was eyeing a duo of Trey Hendrickson and Maxx Crosby, a testament to the need for more edge depth. Parker came into this past season with big expectations as a potential top-10 selection. He’s not at that level, but he’s a heavy-handed rusher with disruptive power. Parker set a Clemson record for the most forced fumbles in 2024 (six).
With long arms and excellent hand usage, Parker has multiple ways to beat blockers, including the best long arm in this year’s draft class. could not replicate his 2024 production last season, but his underlying metrics (via PFF) are very similar:
- 2024: 43 pressures, 13.4% pressure rate, 15.5% pass rush win rate
- 2025: 41 pressures, 12.7% pressure rate, 15.5% pass rush win rate
Grade: A+
Dropping to the 45th pick would be quite a slide for Parker, but defensive linemen have a way of falling into the Eric DeCosta’s lap on Day 2 (see: Mike Green, Travis Jones, Nnamdi Madubuike). There are still some excellent players on the board, but none close to Parker in our rankings, and the Ravens need to upgrade their pass rush. Parker and Trey Hendrickson could an exciting duo for the next few years – this is a no-brainer.
Overall grade: A
This draft would be an absolute home run for the Ravens, filling their two biggest needs with the two best players available. And sadly, that makes it somewhat of a fantasy, as both Fano and Parker falling to Baltimore seems unlikely. So with that in mind, here are two alternate picks using Fields’ mock:
Round 1: As mentioned, USC wide receiver Makai Lemon is one spot ahead of Fano on our Big Board, so he would be the other choice for the No. 14 pick. What he lacks in physical traits, he makes up for with a complete, pro-ready skillset: savvy route-running, reliable hands, and toughness at the catch point and as a run blocker. Lemon would be ready to contribute to the Ravens’ offense from Day 1 – think Emeka Egbuka.
Round 2: According to the Big Board, Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor would be the replacement for Parker at the 45th pick. He is an ascending but still somewhat raw talent who does not project as an immediate contributor in Baltimore. The Ravens have too much urgency to use a top-50 pick on such a player, so I’ll throw out three options we have ranked in the same range. The first is Oklahoma State defensive tackle Gracen Halten, an explosive interior disruptor with plenty of pass-rushing potential. Next is Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis Sutton, another uber-athletic defender who logged 17.0 sacks and 25.0 tackles for loss in the last two years. Last, we have Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon, a mauler of a blocker who allowed just one sack in the last three years, per PFF. All three fill major needs, can contribute right away, and have serious long-term upside.
Now, it’s your turn! What do you think of Yates’ picks for the Ravens? What about our alternate options? Which players would you rather see in Baltimore? Let us know in the comments below!
