Every time Zay Flowers and Roger Rosengarten perform, we marvel at the job the Baltimore Ravens have done by way of the NFL Draft. Flowers was a first-rounder, and in three of the past four selection meetings, Eric DeCosta has addressed the secondary.
Malaki Starks and Nate Wiggins have the talent to be added to the Pro Bowl roster annually. Then, there is Kyle Hamilton. It’s early, but we’re going to say what others are thinking.
If he avoids injury and stays on his current path, we’re watching a Pro Football Hall of Fame career in the making. It appears none of that could sway ESPN’s thinking during a ranking of NFL rosters based on players under 25.
Ravens enjoy a puzzling mid-level finish on a ranking of NFL players who are under 25 years old
Here’s one we need a little help with. It’s a head scratcher. ESPN recently cranked out a ranking of NFL teams based on the production of their young players. Guys under the age of 25 on every roster were evaluated. Aaron Schatz, the writer of this one, lists the following as the methodology:
- Significant injuries or suspensions that will affect 2025 availability
- Expected key starters and reserves under 25
- Number of starts and snap counts
- Quality of play
- Draft value in 2025
- Relative importance of positions
- Value and length of contracts
Baltimore landed Malaki Starks and Mike Green during the 2025 NFL Draft. One would think that would help them land a top-five ranking or so. It didn’t. They land in the middle of the list at 15. This one requires an explanation.
“The Ravens would be a little bit higher, but their best young talents are 24 years old. That includes second-team All-Pro Hamilton, No. 1 wide receiver Flowers, and inside linebacker Trenton Simpson.”
Those are the words on Mr. Schatz. That’s strange. That doesn’t seem like a reason to dock them. So, they’re punished because their stars are under 25, but still too old”?
“There are still some younger talents on the roster. Rosengarten is 23. Cornerback Nate Wiggins is 22. The Ravens also have this year’s draft picks, highlighted by safety Malaki Starks (21) and edge rusher Mike Green (22).”
Again, that’s true, so why on Planet Earth is this team ranked 15th? Oh, and by the way, last year, they landed third.
The eyeball test tells us this team has some of the best young talent in the league. We are huge fans of Schatz’s work, but here’s our attempt to respectfully appeal this decision.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens see shockingly low praise in an NFL youth talent evaluation