For rookies, having veteran mentors to lean on for guidance and assistance in their first year is crucial to their early development. The Baltimore Ravens have developed a reputation for drafting well and putting young players in positions to succeed, which can in part be attributable to often having great mentors throughout the roster.
Looking at the upcoming 2026 season, let’s analyze which of this year’s incoming rookies are most well-positioned for mentorship based on their position groups.
EDGE Zion Young
Young has the benefit of playing behind one of the league’s most accomplished pass rushers in Trey Hendrickson, who is an ideal veteran mentor. Young, who is a high-level athlete and edge setter, can refine his pass rushing skill set by taking notes from a four-time Pro Bowler. Hendrickson is elite at getting to the quarterback and generating pressure, and Young should benefit immediately from being under his tutelage.
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Tavius Robinson is another steady veteran to learn from in the edge rusher room as well. Young shares some similarities to Robinson; both play with a violent, physical style and are strong run defenders. They will be the team’s primary weakside linebackers and should combine to be a formidable pair.
RB Adam Randall
The Ravens’ fifth-round pick out of Clemson is entering a perfect situation at running back. Randall will get to learn from Derrick Henry, whose one of the best running backs in NFL history. Henry’s experience and running prowess should pay dividends for Randall, who just recently converted to the position after playing wide receiver for three collegiate seasons. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Randall’s physical profile is close to that of Henry, too.
In addition, Randall’s receiving skill set should mesh well with Justice Hill. Hill has been the team’s primary third down and pass-catching back for several years now. In particular, Randall could learn a lot from Hill in terms of pass protection, which is usually a learning curve for young running backs. Randall’s ability to pass protect adeptly will go a long way in determining how much he can get on the field in Year 1.
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CB Chandler Rivers
Rivers, a fifth-round pick out of Duke, will be entering a fierce cornerback competition in the back half of the depth chart. While he’ll need to earn his roster spot and playing time, he’ll get to absorb knowledge and tips from an accomplished All-Pro in Marlon Humphrey. Humphrey may be coming off a down season but still has multiple years of high-level performance under his belt and has thrived in the slot as well, where Rivers projects to primarily play. Humphrey was recognized as one of the league’s top cornerbacks as recently as two years ago.
Furthermore, the presence of another veteran in Chidobe Awuzie should be helpful too. While Awuzie is strictly an outside corner, he’s been a steady performer for several seasons. Awuzie was arguably the Ravens’ best cornerback last season in terms of consistency from start to finish.
DT Rayshaun Benny
As a seventh-round pick joining a crowded defensive line room, Benny will have to fight to earn a roster spot for himself this summer. Regardless of his ultimate 53-man fate, he’ll have several trusted veterans to lean on within his position group. Nnamdi Madubuike is a wild card given his health status, as he’s still yet to return to organized activities and is limited to individual training work. However, Madubuike is still a great standard for Benny to look to, as he’s earned multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections.
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There might be no better mentor in the league than Calais Campbell, who helped the development of Madubuike and Travis Jones when he was in Baltimore a few years ago. Now, Campbell is back entering his 19th season in the NFL — still an impactful player on the field and a terrific locker room presence. Jones has now earned veteran status as well and is coming off a career-best season. John Jenkins, like Campbell, is another tenured player at 36 years old with 13 years of experience. Altogether, Benny has plenty of high-pedigree and talented defensive lineman to mentor him early on.
TE Matthew Hibner and TE Josh Cuevas
Hibner and Cuevas are lumped together here, as they’re both later-round picks who play the same position. Both of them are expected to compete for snaps at tight end right away, where the Ravens need to replace multiple departed free agents. Fortunately, they’ll be able to lean on Mark Andrews, who has a first-team All-Pro nod on his resume. Andrews may be past his athletic prime but, even coming off a dip in production, is a good model for a young tight end to replicate. Hibner and Cuevas can both learn from Andrews’ route-running and pass-catching ability, as well as his blocking. Andrews developed into a reliable blocker as his career progressed and both rookies’ ability to do the same would pay dividends for them to become regular contributors.