Draft day in Baltimore usually starts with a collective shrug from the rest of the league. While some owners are busy mortgaging their futures for a "shiny new toy" at quarterback or a receiver with track speed but stone hands, the Ravens are basically sitting in the back of the room, eating a crab cake, and waiting for the board to fall to them. Honestly, it's a bit of a flex.
If you look at the ravens draft picks by year, you’ll see a pattern that isn't just luck. It’s a cold, calculated strategy that started with Ozzie Newsome and has continued under Eric DeCosta. They don't draft for what they need today; they draft for what the roster will look like in three years.
The 1996 Masterclass: How it All Began
You can't talk about this team without mentioning 1996. Imagine having the first-ever draft in franchise history and landing two first-ballot Hall of Famers. Seriously.
- Jonathan Ogden (No. 4 overall)
- Ray Lewis (No. 26 overall)
Most teams go decades without hitting on two players of that caliber. The Ravens did it in two hours. That year set the tone. It proved that the "Best Player Available" (BPA) philosophy wasn't just a buzzword—it was the law of the land in Owings Mills. While other teams were reaching for needs, Baltimore took the giant tackle and the intense linebacker from Miami.
The rest? Well, the rest is literally in the Ring of Honor.
The Art of the "Comp Pick" Game
One thing that makes the Ravens draft picks by year stand out is the sheer volume of extra selections they hoard. They are the kings of the compensatory pick system. Basically, if you let a good player walk in free agency and don't sign a big-name replacement, the NFL rewards you with extra picks.
Baltimore has received over 50 compensatory picks since the program started. That's nearly a full extra draft's worth of talent compared to some of their rivals.
👉 See also: Who Are the Ravens Quarterbacks: What Really Happened with the Roster
Take a look at how they’ve turned these "free" picks into real contributors:
- Kyle Juszczyk (4th round, 2013) – Became the best fullback in the league.
- Matthew Judon (5th round, 2016) – Turned into a double-digit sack artist.
- Ryan Jensen (6th round, 2013) – Developed into a starting center who eventually got a massive payday elsewhere (which, ironically, netted the Ravens more comp picks).
It’s a cycle. A beautiful, frustrating-for-everyone-else cycle.
Decosta vs. Ozzie: The New Era
When Eric DeCosta took over the GM chair in 2019, people wondered if the "Ravens Way" would change. Kinda, but not really. DeCosta is a bit more aggressive with trades—think Marcus Peters or Roquan Smith—but his draft logic remains tethered to the Newsome school of thought.
In 2018, Ozzie’s final act was arguably his best since '96. He drafted Hayden Hurst (a miss, sort of), then traded back into the first round to grab Lamar Jackson at pick 32.
Think about that. The MVP of the league was the last pick of the first round.
But it wasn't just Lamar. That 2018 class included:
- Orlando Brown Jr. (3rd round)
- Mark Andrews (3rd round)
- Bradley Bozeman (6th round)
- DeShon Elliott (6th round)
That’s a foundation. You've got an elite QB, an All-Pro tight end, and several starting-caliber linemen all in one weekend.
The Recent Trend: Rebuilding the Secondary and Trench War
Lately, the strategy has shifted toward future-proofing the defense. Looking at the ravens draft picks by year for 2024 and 2025, you see a massive investment in the back end of the defense.
In 2022, they grabbed Kyle Hamilton at 14 and Tyler Linderbaum at 25. Both were "BPA" picks. Hamilton was widely considered a top-5 talent who fell because of a slow 40-yard dash. The Ravens didn't care. They saw a 6'4" unicorn who could erase tight ends and hit like a truck.
Fast forward to the 2025 class. The Ravens stayed true to their "Ravens-wired" scouting:
2025 Key Picks
- Malaki Starks (S, Georgia): A first-round ball-hawk who allows Kyle Hamilton to play closer to the line of scrimmage. He’s basically the missing piece for their "identity" defense.
- Mike Green (EDGE, Marshall): A second-round pick who led the nation in sacks. Pure production over "potential."
- Emery Jones Jr. (OT, LSU): A third-round pick designed to stabilize the right side of the line.
They also used those compensatory picks they love so much. They turned the loss of Patrick Queen into a fourth-round pick (No. 136) and the departure of Geno Stone into a sixth-rounder. They use these late-rounders on guys like Teddye Buchanan or LaJohntay Wester, who might not be stars, but they’ll be the guys making tackles on special teams in December when the starters are gassed.
Why the "Busts" Don't Kill Them
Every team misses. The Ravens have had their fair share of "What were they thinking?" moments.
- Kyle Boller (2003) set the franchise back years at QB.
- Matt Elam (2013) never really figured out the speed of the NFL.
- Breshad Perriman (2015) couldn't stay healthy.
The reason these misses don't sink the ship is because of the volume. When you have 9 or 10 picks every year, you can afford to miss on a first-rounder because you probably found a Pro Bowler like Marshal Yanda in the third or Adalius Thomas in the sixth.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're trying to predict what the Ravens will do in the next draft, stop looking at their current roster holes. They don't care that they need a wide receiver if there’s a blue-chip defensive tackle sitting there.
- Watch the "Drop": If a top-10 talent starts sliding into the teens, the Ravens are the most likely team to pounce. They value the "grade" over the "need."
- Follow the Free Agent Departures: If a Raven signs a $50 million deal with the Jaguars or Lions, don't be sad. That's just a future 3rd-round pick in disguise.
- Draft Day 3 is Where the Roster is Built: The Ravens' depth, which often allows them to stay competitive despite massive injury waves, comes from hitting on 4th and 5th rounders consistently.
The Ravens draft picks by year aren't just names on a screen. They are the reason this team hasn't had a "top 5" pick since 2000 (except when they traded up or had a weird fluke year). They stay "mid" in the draft order because they stay "elite" in the front office.
Keep an eye on the 2026 compensatory pick projections. As long as they keep letting expensive vets walk and replacing them with rookie-scale talent, the "Purple and Black" will be playing meaningful football in January.
To truly understand their success, you have to look at the draft as a game of probabilities. The more tickets you have, the better your chances of hitting the jackpot. Baltimore just happens to have more tickets than anyone else.