With the Ravens’ season now officially over after an early conclusion, all focus has immediately shifted towards the ongoing search for a new head coach. This is also an appropriate time to reflect on the 2025 season and how certain players performed, including the team’s rookie class. Let’s review how each of Baltimore’s drafted rookies played this past season and assign grades.
S Malaki Starks
Expectations were high for the Ravens’ first-round pick, who stepped into a starting safety role from Day 1 in the defensive backfield. Starks was billed as an NFL-ready rookie following an impressive collegiate career at Georgia. However, like most first-year starters, Starks experienced his share of ups and downs, particularly early on in the season. He wasn’t always consistent as an open-field tackler and was responsible for the occasional coverage lapse as well. The good mostly outweighed the bad, though, and Starks became a sturdier force as the year progressed. He displayed natural coverage instincts as a deep safety in the back-half of the secondary, closing covering ground and filling the right spots. Starks didn’t make a ton of splash plays on the season in part because he simply wasn’t around the ball a lot. He did corral two interceptions in back-to-back weeks in the middle of the year, though, and finished with 84 combined tackles (fourth-most on the team) and four pass breakups in over 1,065 total defensive snaps (94%). Overall, Starks showed he has room for improvement but inspired confidence that he can be a solid starter for the Ravens moving forward with higher upside.
Grade: B-
EDGE Mike Green
As a second-round pick, Green was widely considered to be a tremendous value selection and potential draft-day steal for the Ravens. Green was one of the most productive pass-rushers in college last year, so the hope was that his natural ability to pressure the quarterback would translate right away. He was anticipated to play a rotational pass rusher role primarily on passing downs in the Ravens’ edge rusher room which, prior to the start of the season, was relatively deep. Green wound up playing many more defensive snaps, 712 total (63%) than expected due to injuries ravaging the position group, along with subpar performance from returning veterans. The results were mixed. Green definitely became more impactful as the year went on and wound up finishing with 3.5 sacks, 19 pressures, and 14 quarterback hits. His consistency left much to be desired at times, however, and he likely would have better served playing less snaps with less every-down responsibility. Green showed flashes of being a potential high-level pass rusher but it’s also evident he has room to grow with technique and as a run defender.
Grade: C+
OG Emery Jones Jr.
Jones missed the first half of the season as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. By the time he was finally activated and healthy enough to play, the LSU product has a difficult time cracking the offensive line rotation. Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele were entrenched as the team’s offensive guard starters and, despite their struggles at times, the Ravens were steadfast in not wanting to change the starting lineup. Jones briefly began rotating in for some drives in relief of Vorhees at left guard, but that only lasted for about a game. In the times where he was on the field, Jones showed legitimate upside and promising athletic ability. He’s clearly still raw in terms of technique and consistency, but that was to be expected given he’s a rookie and missed an extended period of time. Jones wound up appearing in five games and playing 49 total offensive snaps. He didn’t play enough to receive a fair grade but heading into next season, he figures to be a competitor for a starting role.
Grade: Incomplete
ILB Teddye Buchanan
Buchanan surprisingly seized a starting linebacker spot very early in the season, usurping Trenton Simpson as the running mate alongside Roquan Smith. For a fourth-round pick, Buchanan displayed an immediate level of comfortability in the defense and sound technique, which saw his role increase quickly. Buchanan’s performance was up-and-down throughout the year and he certainly has some room for growth, particularly in coverage consistency and open-field tackling. However, he was pretty solid against the run and wound up with 93 total tackles and a forced fumble in 14 games. He was named AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for October. Buchanan suffered a torn ACL injury in mid-December that unfortunately ended his rookie season early. He exceeded expectations overall, though, and demonstrated starter-level ability at his position.
Grade: B-
OT Carson Vinson
Vinson was only active for seven games and played seven total offensive snaps on the year, which makes it difficult to fairly assess his rookie season. Vinson was drafted as a developmental prospect in the fourth round, so he wasn’t expected to play anything more than a backup role in Year 1 anyways. His athletic profile and traits still inspire confidence that he could develop into a starter-level player for the Ravens in the near future.
Grade: Incomplete
K Tyler Loop
Loop had the worst possible ending to his rookie season, missing a 44-yard field goal in the Week 18 finale that would have sent the Ravens to the playoffs had it gone in. The untimely miss clouds what was otherwise a solid overall season as the team’s new kicker. Loop finished the year making 30-of-34 attempts (88.2%) and contributed 134 overall points. Prior to the aforementioned miss in the last game, Loop was perfect on all of his kicks from less than 50 yards out. The sixth-round pick’s accuracy from distance left much to be desired, though, as he made only one kick from 50+ yards all season on four attempts. Loop was efficient as a whole but was not reliable enough from deep and ultimately was not reliable enough when it mattered most.
Grade: C+
WR LaJontay Wester
Wester was unable to crack the wide receiver rotation and carve out an offensive role in his rookie season. He played only 58 total offensive snaps (6%) on the year behind Tylan Wallace and Devontez Walker on the back end of the depth chart. Wester did serve as the team’s primary punt returner and kick returner from start to finish, though, which was his expected role heading into the season. He returned 16 punts for 198 yards and 10 kickoffs for 246 yards. Wester fumbled twice on return opportunities but otherwise was pretty secure with the football.
Grade: C+
DT Aeneas Peebles
The sixth-round pick out of Virginia Tech was thought to be a potential sleeper that could make an impact for the Ravens in Year 1. Peebles didn’t receive much of a chance, however. He was a factor in the defensive line rotation early season, playing 67 snaps through the first five weeks. After that, Peebles fell out of favor with the coaching staff and was a healthy scratch until being activated for Week 13, where he played just four snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving. Peebles’ pass-rushing skill set should have allowed him to play more, but the Ravens were not confident in his ability to consistently defend against the run. The Ravens’ defensive line group will likely feature several newcomers next season, but Peebles should have a shot to carve out a more consistent role in his sophomore year.
Grade: Incomplete
