The Baltimore Ravens closed Day 2 of the draft by selecting Missouri edge rusher Zion Young with the 45th overall pick, a move that immediately signals the team’s intent to reload its pass‑rush depth with a high‑motor, physical presence.
“I enjoy setting the edge,” Young said after being introduced as a Raven, a short line that says a lot about how he sees his role in Baltimore’s front. “I’m fired up,” he added, the kind of simple, high‑energy soundbite that fits a player expected to bring attitude and effort every snap.
What Zion Young Brings to the Ravens
Young arrives in Baltimore as a 6‑foot‑5, 262‑pound disruptor who finished his college career with a breakout season at Missouri, earning first‑team All‑SEC honors after piling up pressures and tackles for loss against top competition. Scouts praise his hand usage, power at the point of attack, and willingness to set the edge in the run game: traits that fit the Ravens’ identity under a coaching staff that prizes trench toughness.
This isn’t a finesse prospect. Young’s game is built on violent hands, a bull‑rush base, and the ability to hold the line against the run while still generating consistent pressure on the quarterback.
He posted strong pressure numbers in 2025 and flashed in Senior Bowl practices, performances that helped vault him into the early second‑round conversation. Those tape moments are exactly what Baltimore covets when it comes to rotational edge pieces who can play early and grow into more.
Fit and projection in Baltimore’s Scheme
The Ravens have long prioritized versatile, physical edge play: players who can rush the passer, set the edge against the run, and slide inside on sub‑packages when needed.
Young’s strengths check those boxes: he can play with his hand down or stand up, he’s comfortable in tight spaces, and he brings a nastiness that can free up teammates by occupying double teams.
Baltimore’s coaching staff has a track record of developing pass‑rushers and scheming to their strengths. That developmental upside is part of why the pick landed where it did despite his lack of top-end speed.
Expect Young to carve out a rotational role early: a situational edge who can spell starters on early downs, set the edge on run downs, and be dialed up on obvious passing downs. Over time, with coaching and added polish to his rush repertoire, he projects to be more than a situational piece; he could become a dependable bookend who helps sustain Baltimore’s physical defensive identity.
The Ravens’ front office clearly viewed him as a high‑ceiling, high‑character addition who can contribute in Year One and grow into a larger role.
Immediate Impact and Room to Grow
In a division where physicality is the currency, and where the Ravens regularly measure themselves against the AFC North’s best, adding a player like Young is both a short‑term boost and a long‑term investment. He brings the kind of temperament and skill set that can change blocking assignments, create one‑on‑one opportunities for established rushers, and make opposing offenses account for another disruptive presence on the edge.
As Young himself put it when asked about the Ravens‑Steelers rivalry, “I take rivalries very seriously… I’m ready to go.”
The pick won’t make headlines for flash, but it fits Baltimore’s blueprint: build from the trenches, add competitive temperament, and develop talent into reliable production.
If Young’s motor and power translate the way the tape suggests, the Ravens just added a piece that could matter a lot when the games get physical in December and January.
