Ravens GM flags thinner 2026 NFL Draft talent
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says the 2026 NFL Draft looks less deep, with a mid–first-round drop and fewer than 200 draftable grades.
Mehmet Şahinoğlu ·
Baltimore Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said he sees a weaker overall pool in the 2026 NFL Draft compared with the prior year, pointing to what he described as a noticeable talent drop roughly halfway through the first round.
DeCosta’s comments come as Baltimore holds the 14th overall pick . In his assessment, the top of Round 1 contains a heavier concentration of players who meet the highest evaluations, while the depth behind that group falls off more sharply than he believes it did in the previous draft cycle.
He also said the Ravens have identified fewer than 200 players they consider draftable for their roster. That internal number is below the total volume of selections in the draft, which he noted is more than 250 picks . The gap between those figures underscores how Baltimore is filtering the class through its own thresholds rather than treating the full draft board as equally usable.
DeCosta’s evaluation implies that teams drafting later in the first round, and those relying on Day 2 and Day 3 selections, could find it harder to land players who match their preferred talent standards. In that scenario, clubs may need to adjust how they approach roster building during draft weekend, including how they prioritize positional needs versus their grading cutoffs.
From a leaguewide standpoint, the remarks highlight uncertainty around how broadly teams will agree on the class’s depth. DeCosta described a class where the early portion of Round 1 carries more of the premium value, while the middle and later rounds may require more selective targeting to find fits that meet team-specific criteria.
What remains unclear is whether other front offices will reach the same conclusion about the 2026 group, or whether differences in scouting models and roster requirements will lead to a wider spread of opinions on who is “draftable.” DeCosta’s comments, however, set expectations that Baltimore is preparing for a board that may thin out faster than usual relative to the number of total selections available.