OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Leading up to the draft, there were times when Baltimore Ravens scouts would watch film of guard Olaivavega Ioane and he was out of the picture by the end of the clip.
Ioane, a 6-foot-4, 326-pound first-round selection out of Penn State, is known for driving defensive linemen and linebackers so far away from the ball that he was out of view of the camera. In a 37-10 win over Nebraska last season, Ioane blocked safety DeShon Singleton into the bench area.
"We want to be a strong, imposing team," Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said after Baltimore used the No. 14 overall pick on Ioane.
From the Ravens' first pick to their last one -- with the owner's hand-picked selection in between -- Baltimore has come out of the draft looking bigger and grittier.
The Ravens landed hard-hitting tone-setters with their first two picks in Ioane and Missouri outside linebacker Zion Young. In the middle rounds, Baltimore added two big-bodied wide receivers and a couple of 240-pound-plus tight ends. By the end of the draft, the Ravens had a running back who was taller than Derrick Henry as well as a defensive lineman (Rayshaun Benny) and offensive lineman (Evan Beerntsen) who are both over 300 pounds.
Jesse Minter didn't need to think very long when asked about the theme of his first draft as the Ravens head coach.
"I just think if you go all the way down the list, it is a really physical group," Minter said. "All these guys fit that bill."
It all started with Ioane, who nearly didn't make it to the Ravens. There were teams who wanted Ioane who attempted to move in front of Baltimore at No. 14, but the Los Angeles Rams chose to keep the pick to get quarterback Ty Simpson.
Many of the Ravens scouts believe Ioane was the best offensive lineman in this draft and the best pass protector. He impressed Baltimore with his ability to sustain blocks, which showed his core strength.
Ioane didn't allow a sack in his last two seasons at Penn State and gave up two quarterback pressures last season, which is a trend that Lamar Jackson hopes will continue.
"I'm coming in with the mentality that I'm not trying to get beat," Ioane said. "Nobody's going to touch my quarterback, and it's as simple as that."
Penn State OL Vega Ioane (#71) getting to the second level and finishing the block 💪
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 4, 2025
Big, powerful dude with some positional versatility. pic.twitter.com/1DiHigTYf3
In the second round, the Ravens were ecstatic to draft Young, who received a first-round grade from Baltimore. Young, 6-foot-5, 262 pounds, is considered one of the most complete outside linebackers in the draft.
He will provide a boost to the Ravens' pass rush, which finished with the second-fewest sacks (30) in team history last season. Young's 15.4% pressure rate last season ranked fifth in the SEC.
But Young takes as much pride in setting the edge on run plays as getting to the quarterback.
"He's very powerful in the run game, meaning, when he strikes blocks, they go the other way," Minter said. "When people pull on him and he strikes him, it's a train wreck."
With its next two picks, Baltimore selected big targets for Jackson. The Ravens drafted USC's Ja'Kobi Lane in the third round and Indiana's Elijah Sarratt in the fourth round. Baltimore expects the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Lane to line up on the outside and the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Sarratt to play in the slot.
Baltimore doesn't have a wider receiver quite like Lane, who had the largest hands (10½ inches) and second-largest wingspan (80¾ inches) at the combine.
"When you watch Ja'Kobi in the red zone make catches, that's a vision that our coaches were like, 'Man, we could really take advantage of that,'" Minter said. "So, I think you're always looking for the best players. Oftentimes, I do think size is a requisite to be a really good player."
Here is a look at WR Ja'Kobi Lane, who was selected by the Ravens in the third round pic.twitter.com/VC3KD8zHcG
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) April 25, 2026
After Baltimore took tight ends Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas, it was time for Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to shine. During the annual meeting of the team brain trust in Florida this offseason, Bisciotti "was begging" to make a pick.
"And he owns the team [so] I said, 'Yes, Steve. Of course you can have a draft pick,'" DeCosta said. "And so we decided on our last fifth-round pick."
Bisciotti used the No. 174 pick on Clemson running back Adam Randall. At 6-3, Randall is one inch taller than Henry, who is one of the best big backs in NFL history.
Randall is one of four players in Clemson history with at least 750 rushing yards and 750 receiving yards in a single season.
"[Bisciotti] did his research. He studied the tape and talked to people," DeCosta said. "He has a really good relationship with the Clemson head coach [Dabo Swinney]."
DeCosta added, "We think the best is yet to come with him as a running back. He has really good hands. He can run routes. He's a possible kick returner -- a special teams guy. He has a great body and good measurables, and we're excited to see what he can do. He's kind of a 'jackknife.'"
The Ravens still have work to do to address some needs, including starting center. But Baltimore feels like it has used the draft to build a roster that will be ready to play in the AFC North, which is traditionally one of the most physical in the NFL.
"That's exactly what I want. I don't want to go anywhere else, where it's soft football," Ioane said. "Football is meant to be physical and all those types of things. And that's exactly where I think I can fit in."