The last time the Ravens held the 14th overall pick in the draft, the first round did not go to plan.
In 2022, the team had interest in wideouts Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, as well as defensive tackle Jordan Davis, but all three were snapped up before Baltimore was on the clock. The Jets took Wilson at 10, and the Saints and Eagles both leapt the Ravens to land Olave at 11 and Davis at 13, respectively.
That turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Few were expecting Kyle Hamilton to be available
at No. 14, including the Ravens, who ran up the card for the Notre Dame safety. Wilson and Olave have grown into elite receivers even while limited by subpar quarterback play, and Davis is the second-highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL. But Hamilton is a 1-of-1 defender whose impact and value is hardly quantified by his stats or salary. Regardless of – or perhaps due to – his position’s ‘non-premium’ label, he was a safe pick that also offered immense upside.
The same could be said of 2026 first-round pick Olaivavega Ioane, though his path to Baltimore was a very different one. He was identified as a top Ravens target early in the pre-draft process by, well, everyone. General manager Eric DeCosta has a known affinity for Penn State prospects, and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford was running Ioane’s drills at his Pro Day. Fans badly wanted an upgrade over Daniel Faalele at right guard, and local reporters and national draft experts agreed.
There was little concern that Ioane would be available at the 14th pick. The Giants, who were picking at No. 10 with a hole at right guard, were the only potential threat. But another chaotic top 10 saw Miami’s Francis Mauigoa fall to New York, leaving the Ravens free and clear to land their preferred prospect.
Still, it was not an “easy decision,” DeCosta said. Another top target, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, was still on the board, and Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. had also fallen farther than expected. The Ravens also considered trading back, but the deal fell apart and “clarified things” in the team’s war room. They turned in the draft card, called Ioane to deliver the news, and waited for Roger Goodell to walk out onto the stage in Pittsburgh to announce it to the world.
The pick drew unanimous praise from fans and media alike. Ioane, by far the best pure guard in the 2026 class, was considered one of the safest picks in the draft with All-Pro upside with frequent comparisons to perennial Pro Bowler Quenton Nelson. He will be an immediate upgrade at one of the Ravens’ biggest positions of need and will turn a major weakness into a strength.
“I think this guy just really checked off every single box for us as a player: mentality, personality, ability, skill level, athletic ability, physicality, all those different things – at a very high level,” DeCosta said. “We love when we can get the best player at his position in the draft, which we’ve done a lot and kind of take pride in that.”
Stay tuned for a full, in-depth scouting report on Olaivavega Ioane breaking down every part of his game!
