The 2026 Baltimore Ravens thread
- Thread starter STAN JONES
- Start date
Vega Ioane scouting report
Scouting Report: Strengths
Pass protection is his calling card and it translates immediately to Sundays; zero sacks, zero hits, and only four hurries across 613 snaps in 2025 tells you everything about his ability to keep quarterbacks clean.
Sets anchors like he's got roots growing into the turf; bull rushers who think they can walk this man back into the pocket are wasting their time because he simply does not give ground.
His grip strength borders on unfair; once those hands latch onto a defender's chest plate, the rep is over because nobody is ripping free from that vice no matter how many counter moves they try.
Reads stunts and games at an advanced level, passing off twists with the kind of poise you rarely see from college guards; watch the USC and Ohio State tape to see him handle complex pressure packages.
Uses shoe-and-short sets effectively to establish inside-out leverage, hardening his inside shoulder and forcing rushers to work predictable paths that play into his power.
Built like a fortress at 330 pounds with dense mass through his limbs and torso; his frame swallows up interior defenders and his contact balance keeps him upright through violent exchanges.
Creates genuine displacement on base blocks and double teams, rolling his hips under his hands to generate the torque needed to move defensive tackles off their landmarks.
Remarkably clean with the flags despite his physical style, drawing just three penalties across 16 starts in 2024 while maintaining that discipline through his All-American 2025 campaign.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
Run blocking lacks the consistency of his pass protection; while he wins with power at the point of attack, his work on the move shows real limitations that cap his ceiling in outside zone schemes.
Lateral quickness is below average and it shows up against twitchy three-techniques who can cross his face; when defenders win with speed and change of direction, Ioane looks heavy-footed chasing.
Pad level pops up too quickly after initial contact, surrendering the leverage he needs to sustain drive blocks and giving technicians a window to work underneath his hands.
Struggles as a move blocker when asked to reach the perimeter or climb to the second level with any urgency; his 5.35 forty time (42nd percentile) shows up on tape when linebackers beat him to the spot.
Hand timing remains inconsistent, particularly in the run game where he's frequently a beat late getting his strike off and allows defenders to control initial contact and set the edge.
Scouting Report: Summary
Ioane is a pass-protection-first guard in a league that increasingly values exactly that skill set. His 2025 tape is a clinic in pocket integrity: zero sacks, zero hits, and a quarterback who could set up shop back there all day long. The anchor is NFL-ready right now. The grip strength is NFL-ready right now. The processing speed against stunts and games is NFL-ready right now. For teams building around a quarterback who needs time, Ioane solves a problem on Day One.
The run game is where you see some limitations. He wins plenty of reps with pure power at the point of attack, moving defensive tackles when he gets his hands on them and creating displacement on double teams. But ask him to reach a shade nose on an outside zone concept or climb to a flowing linebacker with any urgency, and you see a 330-pound man fighting his athletic ceiling. Gap schemes and inside zone concepts that let him work downhill and use his mass are where he thrives. Wide zone systems that demand lateral agility and movement skills will expose his limitations. This is a guard who belongs in a phone booth, not racing to the perimeter.
The projection here is a quality starter in the right system with Pro Bowl upside if the technical details sharpen. His tendency to rise out of his stance and his inconsistent hand timing are coaching points that quality position coaches can address. The experience at both guard spots adds flexibility, and his durability across 43 games and 2,304 snaps suggests a player who can handle NFL workloads. For gap-heavy and power-based offenses that want to protect the passer first and run between the tackles second, Ioane represents one of the safest interior line investments in this draft class.
Scouting Report: Strengths
Pass protection is his calling card and it translates immediately to Sundays; zero sacks, zero hits, and only four hurries across 613 snaps in 2025 tells you everything about his ability to keep quarterbacks clean.
Sets anchors like he's got roots growing into the turf; bull rushers who think they can walk this man back into the pocket are wasting their time because he simply does not give ground.
His grip strength borders on unfair; once those hands latch onto a defender's chest plate, the rep is over because nobody is ripping free from that vice no matter how many counter moves they try.
Reads stunts and games at an advanced level, passing off twists with the kind of poise you rarely see from college guards; watch the USC and Ohio State tape to see him handle complex pressure packages.
Uses shoe-and-short sets effectively to establish inside-out leverage, hardening his inside shoulder and forcing rushers to work predictable paths that play into his power.
Built like a fortress at 330 pounds with dense mass through his limbs and torso; his frame swallows up interior defenders and his contact balance keeps him upright through violent exchanges.
Creates genuine displacement on base blocks and double teams, rolling his hips under his hands to generate the torque needed to move defensive tackles off their landmarks.
Remarkably clean with the flags despite his physical style, drawing just three penalties across 16 starts in 2024 while maintaining that discipline through his All-American 2025 campaign.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
Run blocking lacks the consistency of his pass protection; while he wins with power at the point of attack, his work on the move shows real limitations that cap his ceiling in outside zone schemes.
Lateral quickness is below average and it shows up against twitchy three-techniques who can cross his face; when defenders win with speed and change of direction, Ioane looks heavy-footed chasing.
Pad level pops up too quickly after initial contact, surrendering the leverage he needs to sustain drive blocks and giving technicians a window to work underneath his hands.
Struggles as a move blocker when asked to reach the perimeter or climb to the second level with any urgency; his 5.35 forty time (42nd percentile) shows up on tape when linebackers beat him to the spot.
Hand timing remains inconsistent, particularly in the run game where he's frequently a beat late getting his strike off and allows defenders to control initial contact and set the edge.
Scouting Report: Summary
Ioane is a pass-protection-first guard in a league that increasingly values exactly that skill set. His 2025 tape is a clinic in pocket integrity: zero sacks, zero hits, and a quarterback who could set up shop back there all day long. The anchor is NFL-ready right now. The grip strength is NFL-ready right now. The processing speed against stunts and games is NFL-ready right now. For teams building around a quarterback who needs time, Ioane solves a problem on Day One.
The run game is where you see some limitations. He wins plenty of reps with pure power at the point of attack, moving defensive tackles when he gets his hands on them and creating displacement on double teams. But ask him to reach a shade nose on an outside zone concept or climb to a flowing linebacker with any urgency, and you see a 330-pound man fighting his athletic ceiling. Gap schemes and inside zone concepts that let him work downhill and use his mass are where he thrives. Wide zone systems that demand lateral agility and movement skills will expose his limitations. This is a guard who belongs in a phone booth, not racing to the perimeter.
The projection here is a quality starter in the right system with Pro Bowl upside if the technical details sharpen. His tendency to rise out of his stance and his inconsistent hand timing are coaching points that quality position coaches can address. The experience at both guard spots adds flexibility, and his durability across 43 games and 2,304 snaps suggests a player who can handle NFL workloads. For gap-heavy and power-based offenses that want to protect the passer first and run between the tackles second, Ioane represents one of the safest interior line investments in this draft class.
Night 1 Post Draft Press Conference | Baltimore Ravens
General manager/executive vice president Eric DeCosta and head coach Jesse Minter address the media following Night 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
STAN JONES
Veteran
Some players I like in the 2nd and 3rd tonight
OLB Zion Johnson
OLB R Mason Thomas
OLB TJ Parker
OLB Gabe Jacas
DT Kayden McDonald
DT Christen Miller
DT Domonique Orange
DT Gracen Halton
CB Jermod McCoy
CB Colton Hood
CB Avieon Terrell
CB Brandon Cisse
WR Denzel Boston
WR Germie Bernard
WR Skyler Bell
WR Chris Brazzelll
WR De'Zhaun Stribling
WR Ted Hurst
TE Eli Stowers
TE Sam Roush
TE Oscar Delp
its 4 centers I like. I think we can wait til the 4th to grab whoever is left
C Jake Slaughter
C Sam Hecht
C Logan Jones
C Conner Few
also we have like 4 or 5 5th round picks
I hope EDC doesnt just sit on all these picks
use a couple of them to trade up and get players who can help us day 1
OLB Zion Johnson
OLB R Mason Thomas
OLB TJ Parker
OLB Gabe Jacas
DT Kayden McDonald
DT Christen Miller
DT Domonique Orange
DT Gracen Halton
CB Jermod McCoy
CB Colton Hood
CB Avieon Terrell
CB Brandon Cisse
WR Denzel Boston
WR Germie Bernard
WR Skyler Bell
WR Chris Brazzelll
WR De'Zhaun Stribling
WR Ted Hurst
TE Eli Stowers
TE Sam Roush
TE Oscar Delp
its 4 centers I like. I think we can wait til the 4th to grab whoever is left
C Jake Slaughter
C Sam Hecht
C Logan Jones
C Conner Few
also we have like 4 or 5 5th round picks
I hope EDC doesnt just sit on all these picks
use a couple of them to trade up and get players who can help us day 1
STAN JONES
Veteran
Lions just traded in front of us
lets see who it was for
edit: they took Derrick Moore
we're on the clock
lets see who it was for
edit: they took Derrick Moore
we're on the clock
