Feb. 23, 2026, 5:09 a.m. ET
The Baltimore Ravens are evaluating mid-round prospects ahead of the upcoming NFL draft.Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan is a potential target to bolster the team’s interior defensive line.Washington’s Carver Willis and Florida’s Tyreak Sapp are versatile offensive and defensive line prospects being considered.Notre Dame safety Jalen Stroman is noted for his versatility and potential immediate impact on special teams.
The path to the NFL draft began when postseason all-star games kicked off, marking the start of the 90-day sprint toward the first round each year. The draft may start in Mobile with the Panini Senior Bowl, but several under-the-radar and future NFL stars are on display for scouts, coaches, executives, and all 32 teams to continue to track through the scouting combine and pro days.
The Ravens’ off-season is officially underway after the team hired former Baltimore assistant Jesse Minter as the fourth head coach in franchise history. Now the real work begins, and with the new league year fast approaching, the team will sign free agents and extend Lamar Jackson’s contract. Amid those projects, is Baltimore preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh?
With the draft fast approaching, we’re looking at 3 mid-round draft prospects who feel like “classic Ravens picks.”
Baltimore has Travis Jones, John Jenkins, and C.J. Okoye all returning; the Ravens have uncertainty with Nnamdi Madubuike. What they really need is an interior defensive tackle who has the explosiveness to penetrate and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. McClellan is an athletic specimen at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, and had six sacks and eight tackles for loss last year, while being stout against the run.
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Carver Willis, OT/G, Washington
Willis offers impressive versatility, playing both tackle spots in college, while taking reps at both guard spots during the Senior Bowl.
Tyreak Sapp, Edge, Florida
Sapp is more of a blue-collar run-stopping edge rusher than he is a pass rusher, but he did have seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2024, so he’s not a stranger to making plays behind the line of scrimmage.
A versatile and hybrid defensive back in the mold of Ar’Darius Washington, Stroman offers versatility and special teams ability, which should give him a chance to contribute immediately. Stroman is a hybrid defender, and even more beneficial, the Ravens’ new defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach, Mike Mickens, was with Stroman at Notre Dame last year.