Ravens Find King Henry’s Successor in Way-Too-Early Mock Drafts

Just when you thought mock draft season was over, the aptly named way-too-early 2027 mock drafts have been released.

The draft order was determined by current Super Bowl odds. Since different sets of odds were used, the Ravens were slotted between Nos. 28 and 31.

Here’s a look at the pundits’ picks for Baltimore:

ESPN’s Jordan Reid: “Derrick Henry has been an extremely productive and durable running back, but he’ll be 33 years old in January. This would be a great spot for the Ravens to bring in his heir apparent, and the 5-foot-10, 206-pound Hardy was one of the FBS’ best running backs last season. He finished with 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns but was especially devastating after contact, with his 1,208 yards ranking first in the FBS. He’s a no-nonsense, powerful downhill runner who can run through or around defenses. Kind of sounds like Henry, no?”

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler: “With his physical run style, Hardy rushed for exactly 3,000 combined yards over his first two seasons in college (2024 at Louisiana-Monroe, 2025 at Missouri), and he averaged 6.4 yards per carry last season for the Tigers.”

Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski: “The Baltimore Ravens should be big players in the running back market next offseason. Derrick Henry is 32 with only two years remaining on his contract and the team didn’t draft a ball-carrier until the fifth round this past weekend. That setup should make Hardy’s production—3,000 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns over two seasons—impossible to ignore.”

Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick: “Marlon Humphrey and Chidobe Awuzie are both set to be free agents in 2027, and the Ravens’ lone cornerback draftee — fifth-round pick Chandler Rivers — projects best as a nickel corner at the next level. Peal, meanwhile, should be a starting-caliber outside cornerback. The 6′ 1″, 200-pounder spent the first two years of his career at Georgia before delivering a standout 2025 campaign at Syracuse, where he started all 12 games and showed the fluidity, athleticism and route anticipation of a potential first-round pick.”

Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer: “The Ravens will find this prospect appealing with his size and strength in coverage and ability to support the defense well elsewhere.”

Sharp Football Analysis’ Brendan Donahue: “Derrick Henry is defying all the odds of being able to continue playing the running back position at such a high level at his age, but he will be 33, turning 34 in the 2027 season. While he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down yet, it’s time for the Ravens to start looking for his long-term replacement, which Lacy would certainly be.”

CBS Sports’ Cooper Petagna: “Wingo is far from a finished product, but at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, his size and vertical playmaking ability make him an intriguing prospect. He should benefit from the arrival of Cam Coleman as he settles into a more defined complementary role.”

Oregon DL A’Mauri Washington

Pro Football Focus’ Daire Carragher: “Washington can play either 1-technique or 3-technique, and if he improves his finishing ability — a 22% career missed-tackle rate — he could be considered an early first-round pick. He also logged snaps at fullback last season.”

LSU EDGE Princewill Umanmielen

FOX Sports’ Rob Rang: “The NFL is willing to pay a premium for pass rushers, and Umanmielen has the initial burst and ankle flexion to slip past heavy-footed blockers. He began his college career at Nebraska but exploded onto the NFL radar a year ago at Ole Miss, recording nine sacks. He’s undersized and is currently too reliant on his agility to elude would-be blockers rather than forcibly shedding blocks, but his one-trick is valuable.”

A to Z Sports’ Travis May: “Will Echoles is an extremely fun player to watch. He sheds blockers with ease, and doesn’t mind giving up his body to make absurd leaping tackles (rare for defensive linemen). Echoles racked up six sacks last year for Ole Miss, and brought pressure nearly 10% of the time rushing the passer. He needs to clean up his missed tackle issues, but the physical abilities and high motor are undeniable.”