Ravens' 2018 Draft Class Among Best In Recent Memory

Six years later, it's safe to say the Baltimore Ravens hit a home run in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) and quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrate after Andrews caught a touchdown from Jackson during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

It's commonly agreed that the best way to build a NFL team is through the draft, and the Baltimore Ravens are one of the best in the league at doing so.

Just looking at the Ravens' current roster, most of their key players on both sides of the ball are homegrown. That has been the case throughout their history, but it's especially apparent with this current version of the Ravens.

In the process of building this roster, one Ravens draft class stsds out as by far the most-important: 2018. In fact, Bleacher Report believes it to be the second-best draft class of the past decade, only behind the 2017 New Orleans Saints class that ironically includes a current Ravens star in safety Marcus Williams.

Oddly enough, the Ravens' whiffed on their first pick in 2018, South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst at No. 25 overall, but more than made up for it later. Just a few picks later, the Ravens traded back into the first round to take Heisman-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson from Louisville, which has proven to be one of the best decisions in franchise history.

"Jackson turned into a two-time league MVP and the greatest dual-threat quarterback in NFL history. He gave the Ravens an identity and helped lead his team to five playoff appearances in his six seasons, with three division titles along the way," B/R writes.

After sitting out the second round, Baltimore picked up two more impact players in the third round in offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and tight end Mark Andrews, both from Oklahoma. The Ravens traded Brown to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021, but he was a Pro Bowl player in Baltimore and is one of the highest-paid tackles in the league today. Meanwhile, Andrews is still proudly wearing purple and black and is among the game's best tight ends.

"Andrews is easily one of the game's best targets. The tight end has been a favorite of Jackson's, with three Pro Bowl nods along the way. Andrews has 2,752 receiving yards and 20 touchdown receptions over the last three seasons alone," B/R writes.

Even the later rounds of the draft bore fruit. Safety DeShon Elliott (No. 190 pick), center Bradley Bozeman and (No. 215) and defensive lineman Zach Sieler (No. 238) are all quality starters at their respective positions, even if they weren't in Baltimore for long.

The 2018 draft was the final one for longtime Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, and he absolutely knocked it out of the park.

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