Baltimore Ravens’ top-50 draft pick predicted to win key position battle over multiple competitors
Trey Hendrickson is going to be the featured pass rusher for the Baltimore Ravens, but he needs a partner in crime. Zion Young may have the best case to emerge as the No. 2 EDGE in Charm City.
Trey Hendrickson is going to be the featured pass rusher for the Baltimore Ravens. They have $112 million reasons to make sure he succeeds.
Part of that involves identifying the right complement for him on the opposite edge of the defensive line. Baltimore’s competition for that spot will consist of three names: Mike Green, Tavius Robinson, and Zion Young.
The one with the least amount of experience might just have the best case.
Zion Young predicted to win starting job as rookie
Baltimore drafted Robinson in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Green came to town via a second-round pick in 2025.
Young, the No. 45 pick in the 2026 draft, is the newest of the bunch, and Bleacher Report NFL analyst Gary Davenport believes he could have the literal edge in the battle between the three.
This is a legitimate toss-up. Robinson is the most proven option, logging those 4.5 sacks last year in 451 snaps. Green was drafted for his pass-rushing upside. Young may well be the most talented of the trio.
All three will play this season, but with a strong camp Young’s combination of physicality and athleticism could prove tough to keep off the field.
Gary davenport
Bleacher Report NFL analyst
The Ravens prioritized bolstering their pass rush this offseason with Green and Robinson already on the roster. They nearly traded two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby, and ended up landing an All-Pro free agent in Hendrickson.
Drafting Young was a clear sign they were not yet satisfied with the group. He had a first-round grade attached to him, and Baltimore did not hesitate to draft him in the middle of the second round.
Zion Young Stats & Facts
Baltimore’s newest pass rusher could make a significant impact as a rookie.
- Young grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and was the youngest of 11 children in his family.
- Recruiting services tabbed Young as a three-star player out of high school in 2022, and the No. 134 recruit in the state of Georgia.
- Young played four years at Missouri, racking up 131 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, and 11,5 sacks.
Young can emerge as the starter merely because the Ravens value him as such. He’s got the length and density to hold up against the run and play all three downs. Hendrickson has had issues in run support even in his best years, so having a solid edge-setting bookend would be a wise move.
Nothing will be given to Young, who needs to prove he can take on starting-level snaps out the gate, but the door is wide open for him to surge up the depth chart this summer.