The Baltimore Ravens have a history of trading back in the first round of the NFL Draft, having done so in 2018, 2019, and 2022. With the 2025 draft now just over a month away, speculation is growing about whether they might repeat this strategy.
Currently, the Ravens’ roster is in solid shape, with depth being a bigger concern than the starting lineup. This position could allow them to slide down a few spots from their No. 27 overall pick, gaining additional draft picks in the process.
In a recent mock draft, NFL.com’s Chad Reuter envisions this exact move, projecting the Ravens to trade down to No. 31 with the Kansas City Chiefs. In the deal, Baltimore would acquire an extra third-round pick while sending No. 27 and a fourth-rounder to Kansas City. At No. 31, Reuter has them selecting Georgia safety Malaki Starks—a frequent choice for the Ravens in mock drafts.
Reuter notes, “Certain teams might see Starks as an average athlete without a clear NFL role, much like Brian Branch and Cooper DeJean, who slipped to the second round despite their talent.” He adds, “But the Ravens won’t let that slide, valuing Starks’ playmaking ability—just as they did when they nabbed Kyle Hamilton at No. 14 after his 4.59 40-yard dash scared off other teams.”
With Hamilton, one of the league’s elite safeties, and rising star Ar’Darius Washington, Baltimore boasts a strong starting safety tandem. However, their depth behind those two is razor-thin, a weakness Starks—among the top safeties in this class—could significantly address.
As for the Chiefs, Reuter predicts they’d use the acquired No. 27 pick to draft Alabama guard Tyler Booker. Though Booker has been linked to the Ravens in some mocks, in this scenario, he heads to Kansas City to bolster an offensive line that faltered in Super Bowl LIX.
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