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It’s hard to show up as a late-round draft pick. What can each prospect lean on to make an impact?
It’s hard enough as it is for college football players to make an NFL roster and continue their football careers. Most college football players don’t. But when you are a Day 3 draft pick, it becomes even harder to get on the field and show your stuff. Add in being to an already loaded, championship roster and the Ravens' eight(!!!) Day 3 picks might be struggling just to make the 53-man roster.
The best thing these rookies can do is lean into their superpower. The thing that made them stand out in college. So, what is one trait each pick has that they can try to flash during training camp, preseason, and the regular season to both make the roster and impact the team?
LB Teddy Buchanan: Pass coverage
Buchanan profiles as a potential every-down linebacker if he reaches his peak. For now, the Ravens are likely honing in on Buchanan’s play in coverage. The projected starter, Trenton Simpson, struggled in this area last year and the Ravens lost their fix with Chris Board leaving. The Ravens are grabbing some insurance with Buchanan.
Buchanan was one of the better coverage linebackers in this draft. He played 437 coverage snaps with a 76.2 PFF coverage grade, which ranked highly amongst all linebackers. He’s a fluid mover in space, with the ability to cover running backs sideline to sideline in man and smooth in zone with little panic. He’s also highly adept at knowing when to trigger and can drop out of his coverage and chase down a quarterback. If this can cover over early, Buchanan could find early snaps because of it.
OT Carson Vinson: Size
Left tackles are difficult to find. 20 of the 30 projected starting tackles for the 2025 season were first-round picks. Most of the elite of the elite left tackles are high first-round picks, typically happening in those first 15/20 picks. The Ravens don’t pick there often; their last two Top-15 first-round picks were Kyle Hamilton in 2022 and Ronnie Stanley in 2016.
The Ravens drafted Vinson in the fourth round knowing that he’d need time to develop. The reason they probably picked him? His size. Vinson is 6-foot-7 with 34.5-inch arms and he moves well with his size. The Ravens are betting on that size to help with his development into the next franchise left tackle.
CB Bilhal Kone: Ball Skills
Kone will have a lot of little technical things to work on to be a full-time starter, but one thing he has that’s hard to teach is ball skills. While the stats don’t show it, his tape does. He spends a lot of time with his eyes on the quarterback, allowing him to attack the catch point.
If Ravens fans had gripes with Brandon Stephens always seeming to struggle to find the ball, they won’t have that issue with Kone. He is excellent at turning his head and finding the ball mid-air. If he manages to find snaps either this year or in the future, expect plays on the ball.
K Tyler Loop: Power
There aren’t many traits to pick from that matter for a kicker, but this isn’t a “got to find something” choice. The leg power for Loop is real. He had nine attempts from 50-plus yards in 2024 and made six of them, including a 62-yarder. He’s got practice videos from 70 yards as well. On tape, you can see he kicks from 50-plus yards out with plenty of leg left. His kicks consistently go in with a good amount of height left in the arc. It’s a real NFL leg.
WR LaJohntay Wester: Yards After Catch (YAC)
Wester is a curious case. On tape, he can seem to struggle to separate at times or completely run away from guys despite his speed and agility being pluses and the production. His route running isn’t crisp enough on breaking routes despite his agility. However, the agility and speed show up with the ball in his hand. He is fantastic at avoiding tacklers once he’s reading blocks and going downfield.
His tape on screen plays and abilities as a punt returner really show off the yards-after-catch ability. His IQ to set up blocks and read defenders will allow him to be an immediate impact player on punt returns, screen plays, and other designed touches. After that, hopefully, NFL coaching can translate to route running and have him continue to be a productive slot at the professional level.
DT Aeneas Peebles: Pass Rush Package
Peebles was drafted by Baltimore for one reason: pass rush. He’s an undersized defensive tackle at only 6-foot tall and 280 pounds. He’s not going to be able to stuff gaps, take on double teams, and generally be a great run stuffer. He will have success occasionally as a penetrating run stopper. Peebles will get a lot of run as a sixth-round rookie on passing downs, though.
His pass rushing bag is massive. He can win with first-step quickness, moves, pure motor, or leverage. His spin and swim moves are electric, with an edge-rusher-like explosiveness to them. His hands work against blockers to athletically win and get off blocks with finesse. Despite his size, he does have strength and utilizes being shorter to gain leverage and can push the pocket into quarterbacks. His finesse moves and motor are going to impact NFL pockets. Peebles and the Ravens really need to focus on that and make him a pure pass rusher.
CB Robert Longerbeam: Physicality
Longerbeam is a hard projection because he was mostly exclusively a press outside corner during his time in college, but likely is a slot in the NFL. Luckily, the one thing on tape that does show up that transfers well is the physicality. Longerbeam is a scrappy player. He loves to get his hands on receivers, which is very important to being a successful slot coverage player when typically facing shifty, smaller players.
He is constantly around the ball and looks to rip it out. He also finished college with 37 total passes defended, including 21 in his last two seasons. He is a handsy sewer rat of a corner and that’s what you need out of slot players. If he can show that, Longerbeam has a shot at making this roster.
OG Garrett Dellinger: Versatility
Dellinger has a massive uphill climb. There are 11 players shooting for nine or 10 spots. Dellinger will mostly fight Nick Samac for that last spot. Dellinger is also coming off surgery due to an ankle sprain in his last season. His biggest gift coming into this season is his experience. The Ravens recently lost Patrick Mekari, their versatile lineman who made at least one start in every position while in Baltimore.
Dellinger made at least one start at tackle, guard, and center during his time at
LSU. If he can display that, he could make the roster similar to how Mekari made the roster as a UDFA because of his versatility. Dellinger and Mekari could have similar career paths, as do-it-all swing men capable of filling in everywhere, and maybe that can lead to a starter's role at some point.
