In the NFL, ‘Happy New Year’ salutations are exchanged in March. The Baltimore Ravens and the other 31 franchises are preparing for free agency.
Before that takes place, other business must be addressed. That includes the NFL Scouting Combine. Conversations will shift to 40-yard dash times and players who will skip workouts to showcase their talents at their respective Pro Days.
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We’ve identified Baltimore’s top areas of need. They’ll certainly need to consider a pass rusher. Here are five guys who are considered the cream of the crop.
David Bailey might be the best pass rusher the NFL Draft will have to offer. He’s a speed-power blend with an array of moves that will frustrate even the best of offensive linemen
He’s probably going to hear his name called during the top half of the NFL Draft. Baltimore is scheduled to pick 14th. We’ll see what happens.
NCAA football fans enjoyed a heavy dose of Rueben Bain Jr. His Hurricanes fought their way to the College Football Playoff National Championship game before ultimately coming up a few plays short of their ultimate goal of winning it all.
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Bailey notched 52 tackles, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three pass breakups. Bain was also impressive with 54 tackles, 9.5 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble.
How about some love for the SEC? The Auburn Tigers didn’t enjoy the season they had hoped for. They certainly get the calls at times, and Hugh Freeze let us know that, but the failures of a program can’t be heaped on Keldric Faulk’s shoulders.
His production in 2025 didn’t mirror the wreckage he left in his wake a year earlier, but there’s enough on film to prove his talent level.
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Zion Young was already on a few radars. Then, an excellent week at the Senior Bowl elevated his stock somewhat.
He has drawn rave reviews from college football pundits. After 42 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pass breakups, it has been easy to rave over his potential. His six-foot-six, 265-pound frame hasn’t turned anyone off either.
R. Mason Thomas isn’t the physically imposing guy that some of the other guys mentioned are. He’s shorter and lighter in most cases, standing at six-foot-two and tipping the scales at 249 pounds.
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In 2025, he racked up 26 tackles in ten games. That was an increase from the 23 stops he had notched a year prior. His 6.5 sacks in 2025 were all hard-earned. He tallied nine sacks with the three extra games in 2024.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Top edge rushers for the Ravens to watch