At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta highlighted their top needs heading into this offseason. Although edge rushers, potentially secondary again, and wide receivers will be positions they will look into, guards are a huge glaring weakness. This assumes the Ravens re-sign cornerstone left tackle Ronnie Stanley, as they drafted their bookend right tackle Roger Rosengarten last year in the second round. Baltimore could have two new starting guards this upcoming season to help protect Lamar Jackson.
At left guard, the versatile lineman Patrick Mekari is also a free agent, along with Ben Cleveland at right guard, who never got a shot to start over Daniel Faalele. While Baltimore could make a big move and sign a guard in free agency, there aren’t many options, and they only have about $12 million in the salary cap. That signals a guard selection in Rounds 2 or 3 in the 2025 NFL Draft, and here are some names that fit the mold for the Ravens.
Top Option in Round 1
While the Ravens’ offensive line was a top run-blocking unit overall, there were a few issues in pass protection, but mostly up the middle. Tyler Linderbaum is a stalwart center as a former first-rounder, but their guards were the real weakness in 2024. Normally, the guard position is devalued and is taken after the first round (besides a few exceptions like Quenton Nelson and Zach Martin). But for this year’s draft, this need may be prioritized with the 27th overall pick, depending on who is available, even over an edge rusher with players potentially falling.
Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson, after his workout, could be propelled to the mid to late first round as he also has position versatility starting at tackle after Josh Simmons went down. He was a bookend left tackle moving from left guard, as the Buckeyes went on to win the National Championship. The 22-year-old could be coveted by many teams with offensive line needs like the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, and Houston Texans.
At 6’4″ and 315 lbs., Jackson didn’t do any testing at the combine but still is highlighted as one of the better athletes at the position. He can mirror well in pass protection and has the power to help establish the run game.
For outside zone run schemes, he has the size and speed to pull blocks well as an experienced starter at multiple spots. The OSU offensive line prospect has the fluidity, strength, and measurables to be an established starter in the NFL as a rookie. He told reporters at the Combine that he’s open to playing guard or tackle, referring to his general position he’s playing in the NFL as “offensive line”.
Day 2 Options
The other player who is notable is Alabama’s Tyler Booker, who had poor numbers at the Combine despite being a mauler for the Crimson Tide. That could signal he will slip into day 2 of the NFL Draft, as the 6’5″ and 321 lbs. guard was a two-year starter and fits well with the Ravens’ downhill rushing attack with Derrick Henry. This is a type of player that Ozzie Newsome would like on his team, as Baltimore could get that chance since he’s purely a guard.
At the Combine, he told reporters potentially the best quote from Indianapolis last weekend, saying “The thing I love most about football is taking the love away from other people.”
His pass protection is also underrated as well, as he has the length and football IQ to recognize and take on stunts. At 20 years old, Booker can develop as a dominant physical starter and has the traits to do so at the next level. The teams mentioned earlier could use a guard prospect like him as an anchor cornerstone player on the offensive line.
The other big-name guard to watch includes Georgia’s Tate Ratledge, who blew up the Combine with his testing and profiles better than even Jackson as an athlete. The 23-year-old starter for the Bulldogs offers physicality in the run game along with the movement skills to be fluid in pass pro. Although the last time the Ravens took a Georgia guard it didn’t work out, it would be hard to pass up on a prospect like Ratledge if he was available in the second or third round.
Other guard prospect names Baltimore may be interested in include the other Georgia guard Dylan Fairchild, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow, Oregon State’s Josh Gray, and LSU’s Miles Frazier.