The 2026 Baltimore Ravens thread

[Clark Wayne]

O line should be the priority but at the same time don’t reach in the draft. In a hypothetical situation Ravens do draft a WR at 14, who do y’all like the most?

Makai Lemon
Carnell Tate
Jordyn Tyson
Denzel Boston

I get the argument against Lemon because of his height but he’s the same height as St Brown and 1 inch shorter than Nabers, JSN & Chase.

Tyson has some injury concerns but who knows if that will continue or if that was just bad luck.

Then you got Tate & Boston at 6’3 & 6’4.

 

[Clark Wayne]

Declan Doyle interview

 

[Shamayw_33]

MIA released Bradley Chubb - that will be a perfect pick up for BAL

That's who I'd like to see them sign. Would mean, they wouldn't need to draft an EDGE/OLB early. Which frees them up to address the DT, OG and C positions within the first 4 picks, unless someone falls in their lap.

I'd also be happy with Khalil Mack as well. I think the Ravens will be a dream destination for some pass rushers this off season...some willing to sign a cheap deal to reignite their career.

 

[Shamayw_33]

O line should be the priority but at the same time don’t reach in the draft. In a hypothetical situation Ravens do draft a WR at 14, who do y’all like the most?

Makai Lemon
Carnell Tate
Jordyn Tyson
Denzel Boston

I get the argument against Lemon because of his height but he’s the same height as St Brown and 1 inch shorter than Nabers, JSN & Chase.

Tyson has some injury concerns but who knows if that will continue or if that was just bad luck.

Then you got Tate & Boston at 6’3 & 6’4.

I like Tate. His skill set is a legitimate X (outside receiver). He can stretch the field and is a dynamic weapon capable of scoring from anywhere on the field. I can see him going to the Chiefs or them selecting the RB from Norte Dame with their first pick. Either way, he'll be gone by 14.

I like Surratt for the Ravens in the 3rd or 4th if he's available. They need to sure up the oline and dline as early as possible and get somebody like Ja'Kobi Lane in the 3rd if Surratt is gone and they want to get a receiver that soon.

 

[Blessings]

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

 

[Blessings]

A good portion of our fan base is either slow or being disingenuous.

After Andrews dropped an easy catch on 1st down...
Linderbaum snapped the football too far to the left, and made it come out like a line drive.
Lamar got a hand on it to slow it down, tip it to himself so he could corral it.
By the time he gathered it, a defender was in his face.

Of course we should keep Linderbaum. But he is overrated. The max, I'll offer is $22m/year. First offer $19m, $20m-21m firm offers....if negotiating past the start of free agency....$22m is my final offer.

There's a lot of word salad about keeping Linderbaum, these people never suggest a number or offer of where they stand....it's just words...no numbers

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

 

[Blessings]

Center rankings....​

Consensus (avg rank)	Sources (recalc)	Player	School
1.6	5	Connor Lew	Auburn
2.2	5	Jake Slaughter	Florida
3.6	5	Sam Hecht	Kansas State
4.4	5	Logan Jones	Iowa
6.2	5	Parker Brailsford	Alabama
12.4	5	James Brockermeyer	Miami (FL)
9.2	5	Bryce Foster	Kansas

2026 NFL draft position rankings: Kiper, Miller, Muench, Reid, Yates

Who are the best players at every position? Our analysts give their top-fives, plus their combined overall top-10 ranking for the 2026 class.

www.espn.com

Center Rankings 2026 NFL Draft

Center s prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. Breakdowns of the best Center prospects and averages of other scouting reports.

www.nfldraftbuzz.com

NFL Draft Big Board

PFF's Big Board for the 2026 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects.

www.pff.com

Top 85 Center Rankings - 2026 NFL Draft

View rankings of the top 85 Centers in the 2026 NFL Draft, led by blockers such as Connor Lew and Logan Jones.

bnbfootball.com

2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Center – WalterFootball

walterfootball.com

Top Centers 2026 NFL Draft

 

[Blessings]

Here’s a 2026-draft, center-specific read on the “big four” you called out. Anything draft related is a moving target in February, so I’m giving ranges + what would push them up or down.

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Connor Lew, Auburn​

What he is​

An athletic, leverage-first center who wins with movement skills, balance, and technique. NFLDraftBuzz and AtoZ both lean into the “can execute in space” profile (pulls, screens, climbing to LBs), plus wrestling background translating to leverage and hands. (NFL Draft Buzz)

The big variable​

ACL tear (fall 2025), which multiple sources flag as the main reason his projection swings. (NFL Mocks)

Expected draft position (range)​

• Most likely: 2nd round (late) to 3rd round (early-mid)
  • PFF has him #33 overall on their big board (that’s Day 1 value on talent) (PFF)
  • But consensus style boards can sit him closer to early 3rd (NFL Mock Draft Database)
• Ceiling: late 1st if medicals check out and a team is desperate at C (AtoZ even calls “late first” outright, and there are mocks putting him top 60). (A to Z Sports)
• Floor: 3rd if teams bake in redshirt risk (SI notes “would likely go higher” without the ACL). (SI)

Rookie year starter odds​

Because of the ACL, he’s the classic “depends how patient the team is” prospect.

• Week 1 starter: ~25 to 40%
• Starts by end of rookie year: ~45 to 65%
• More likely path: begins as top IOL backup, then takes over midseason or Year 2 if rehab timing is conservative. (A to Z Sports)

NFL outcomes (ceiling vs reality)​

• Ceiling: multi-year top-10 center type, occasional Pro Bowl upside if the athletic traits translate and he stays healthy.
• Median: solid starter, especially in zone-heavy offenses, not necessarily a household name.
• Floor: quality swing IOL who starts in stretches but never fully locks it down, usually because power anchors and durability did not match the movement.

“Valuable metrics” to watch​

• Medical timeline and regained lower-body power (anchor is the comeback piece).
• Arm length and play strength relative to top DT power.
• How he handles twists and pressure games as the center “traffic cop.” (AtoZ specifically highlights vision and feel vs games.) (A to Z Sports)

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Jake Slaughter, Florida​

What he is​

A smart, athletic, zone-friendly center. PFF’s writeup is basically, “field general, great in space, quick first step,” but notes power and length can stress him one-on-one. (PFF)
His PFF grades also show a strong profile for the position (not perfect, but starter-shaped). (PFF)

Expected draft position (range)​

• Most likely: late 2nd to 3rd round
  • PFF mock has him pick 62 (late 2nd) (PFF)
  • NFL Mock Draft Database consensus shows him projected 3rd (Bleacher Report)
• Ceiling: late 1st / early 2nd if his testing pops and teams buy him as plug-and-play in a wide zone system (you’ll see that narrative in various mocks and boards). (NFL Mock Draft Database)
• Floor: 3rd if teams fixate on length and power ceiling.

Rookie year starter odds​

He’s the “could start early if dropped into the right scheme” guy.

• Week 1 starter: ~35 to 55% (higher if drafted Round 2 into a clear vacancy)
• Starts by end of rookie year: ~55 to 75%

NFL outcomes​

• Ceiling: steady long-term starter, Pro Bowl upside in his best-fit scheme (more “really good” than “generational”).
• Median: starter or high-end starter-adjacent, plus value because coaches trust him to set protections.
• Floor: top interior backup who can start, but gets exposed by elite power DTs if left solo too often.

“Valuable metrics” to watch​

• Anchor strength (can he absorb NFL power without giving ground).
• Length and hand placement timing (how he compensates when defenders win the reach battle).
• Lateral agility / 10-yard split because his value proposition is movement. (PFF)

 

[Blessings]

Sam Hecht, Kansas State​

What he is​

A technician with a “solid all-around” profile. NFL.com’s eval vibe is “not ideal mass/length, but technique gives him a chance,” and PFF content has him as a real draftable center who can climb boards with a strong process (Senior Bowl, pro day, etc.). (NFL.com)
NFLDraftBuzz lists him with a 3rd-round projection and strong pass/run block percentiles in their profile view. (NFL Draft Buzz)

Expected draft position (range)​

• Most likely: late 2nd to 3rd round
  • PFF 3-round mock slots him pick 55 (late 2nd) (PFF)
  • NFLDraftBuzz: 3rd-round projection (NFL Draft Buzz)
• Floor: 4th if teams decide he’s more “safe depth” than “starter bet” (center value plus measurables can do that).
• Ceiling: mid 2nd if he tests well and interviews like a coach on the board.

Rookie year starter odds​

• Week 1 starter: ~25 to 45%
• Starts by end of rookie year: ~45 to 65%
  He reads like the guy teams are comfortable starting once they trust the strength and the calls.

NFL outcomes​

• Ceiling: dependable multi-contract starter, occasional Pro Bowl alternate type if he lands on a high-functioning OL.
• Median: “starts 8 years, nobody outside OL nerds knows his name,” which is an extremely compliment-coded outcome for a center.
• Floor: valuable backup center, spot starter, interior swing.

“Valuable metrics” to watch​

• Functional strength gains (mass + anchor).
• Mental processing and communication in preseason, especially against blitz looks.
• Recovery quickness after initial contact because that’s where length disadvantages show up. (NFL.com)

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Logan Jones, Iowa​

What he is​

A high-accomplishment college center with real debate in the projection community.

Confirmed resume signal: He was named the 2025 Rimington Trophy winner (best center in college football), with Iowa and the Rimington Trophy site both detailing his season and leadership, plus a “no holding penalty” note in the official writeups. (rimingtontrophy.com)

Projection tension: PFF’s big board writeup likes his feet and zone athleticism, but calls his arm length “outlier short,” which can shrink his margin for error in the NFL. (PFF)
Brandon Thorn’s scouting blurb similarly frames him as a zone-oriented competitor with short-arms and play-strength limitations vs NFL DTs. (Bleacher Report)

Expected draft position (range)​

Jones is the widest range of the four because sources disagree on how the traits translate.

• Most likely: late 2nd to 4th
  • Some mocks: 2nd round (around pick 51) (NFL Mock Draft Database)
  • Others: 4th (around pick 118) (NFL Mock Draft Database)
  • PFF big board placement is much lower (their written eval is still respectful, but the rank implies “Day 3-ish value”). (PFF)
• Ceiling: late 1st if a team buys the Iowa center pipeline and wants a culture setter, there are mocks doing exactly that. (Bolts From The Blue)

Rookie year starter odds​

• Week 1 starter: ~30 to 50%
• Starts by end of rookie year: ~50 to 70%
  The award and experience make him “ready,” but the physical matchups determine whether he sticks early.

NFL outcomes​

• Ceiling: long-term starter in a zone-heavy run game, with Pro Bowl upside if he’s protected by scheme and surrounding OL talent.
• Median: solid starter or “strong side of a platoon,” especially if coaches can help him survive the length disadvantages.
• Floor: backup who is valuable for calls and IQ, but gets schemed at by long, explosive DTs.

“Valuable metrics” to watch​

• Measured arm length and wingspan (this is the fulcrum of the debate). (PFF)
• Bench and lower-body power indicators (can he hold point vs NFL nose tackles).
• Pass-pro reps vs elite power in Senior Bowl style settings, and how often he loses first contact.

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If you want a single “quick take” ranking for who is most likely to be an NFL starter​

1. Slaughter (scheme-friendly, fewer red flags) (PFF)
2. Lew (highest ceiling, medical timing risk) (A to Z Sports)
3. Hecht (starter path exists, depends on strength/anchor) (NFL.com)
4. Jones (elite college resume, NFL trait translation is the argument) (rimingtontrophy.com)

ChatGPT analysis of the consensus top 4 Centers

 

[Shamayw_33]

Linderbaum didn't have his best year last year. I'm sure a lot can be blamed on Faalele and Vorhees, but he's not without blame. A good center calls out protections and elevates the play of the guards. They also dominate at the 2nd level when given the chance. Linderbaum got blown up a few times at the 2nd level by Safeties and LBs last year. He's undersized. He also did next to nothing to elevate those around him, and Lamar was pressured heavily in between the tackles.

A logical GM would look at Linderbaum's year and not be ok, making him the highest paid center in the league because that's what it's going to cost them. Eric does some illogical shyt sometimes, though. With the year Linderbaum had, a rookie, Jake Slaughter from Florida or Coogan from Indiana can do that for a fraction of the cost, which allows them to bring in a veteran at guard on the cheap. I'm sure that veteran guard will help the rookie center adjust.

 

[its2late2hate]

he is universally graded as top 5 at his position. who cares if you have to overpay. We did the same song and dance with Ronnie . My position is sign Tyler and get a G in the draft. If good lineman were a dime a dozen, every team would have them.

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

 

[Blessings]

he is universally graded as top 5 at his position. who cares if you have to overpay. We did the same song and dance with Ronnie . My position is sign Tyler and get a G in the draft. If good lineman were a dime a dozen, every team would have them.

What's your max offer in APY for Linderbaum?