Ravens: 2 hidden gems on Baltimore's 2023 roster (2024)

The Baltimore Ravens 2023 roster is pretty much set, and the most important thing is that quarterback Lamar Jackson will be on it. The QB saga dominated much of the offseason in Baltimore, as did moves related to it, such as signing Odell Beckham Jr. Now that the drama is over, we can truly evaluate the Ravens' roster for next season to see what they have. And what they have is a stacked group at the top but also some real hidden gems who could make a major difference in the Ravens’ 2023 season. These under-the-radar players on the Ravens' roster include tight end Isaiah Likely and pass rusher David Ojabo.

OLB David Ojabo

Coming out of Michigan in the 2022 NFL Draft, David Ojabo has the talent and production to be a first-round pick and a high one at that. However, an Achilles tear at his pro day tanked his draft stock, and the Ravens got a first-round talent at pick No. 45 in the second round.

Baltimore knew taking Ojabo meant their second-round pick would help last season, but the value was worth the risk for the team.

Ultimately, Ojabo fought back and played in two regular season games and a playoff game, even picking up a sack in Week 18 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, with a full season and offseason to rehab, recover, get stronger, and learn the pro game, Ojabo should be like an advanced first-round pick coming in this season.

Currently, the starting outside linebackers on the Ravens roster are Odafe Oweh — who Ojabo actually went to high school with at Blair Academy in New Jersey — and Tyus Bowser. This pair is talented, and Oweh is a solid third-year prospect, but the two pass rushers had a combined 5.0 sacks last season.

Ojabo is the most talented rusher in this group, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he took one of the starting spots in training camp. And if that happens, watch out. The former Wolverine could give the Ravens their first double-digit sack player since Terrell Suggs in 2017.

This is why the Ravens have been so good for so long. The franchise is always thinking about the future and making smart moves for the organization, not just the next season's team. Plenty of players who had productive rookie seasons went after David Ojabo in last year’s draft. None of them were first-round caliber, though, and that’s why the Ravens' 2023 roster now has a hidden gem on it like the young pass rusher.

DE Isaiah Likely

The other hidden gem on the 2023 Ravens roster also came from the 2022 NFL Draft. Nearly 100 picks after Baltimore took David Ojabo, the team took Coastal Carolina tight end in the fourth round.

Baltimore already had one of the best TEs in the game in Mark Andrews, but this is another example of the organization making shrewd long-term picks that aren’t just based on need.

Likely was excellent last season, especially when Andrews missed time. He had 36 catches for 373 yards and three touchdowns last season. When the starter left the game in Week 8, Likely finished with six catches, 77 yards, and a touchdown. Then in Week 18, with Andrews out, the rookie had eight catches for 103 yards.

In 2023, targets will be even harder to come by in the Ravens' offense. Andrews is still there, as are Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay. Baltimore also added Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency and Zay Flowers in the draft. But if the Ravens want to succeed and go further than last year, the team must get Likely more involved on a regular basis.

Likely has all the receiving skills to become a top tight end in the league, and now that he’s a year more experienced and a year stronger, his blocking should improve. The TE was on the field for 40% of the Ravens’ offensive snaps last season. This season that percentage should flip to 60% to help Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' offense.

Not only is this hidden gem ready for more, but having two-tight end looks on the field is the new trend in the NFL, even though most teams don’t have the talented duo that the Ravens have. Isaiah Likely will be a key part of the Ravens' offense this season, and don’t be surprised if his number more than doubles in the next campaign.

The ability to play two TEs with two players as talented as Andrews and Likely is a testament to how the Ravens pick players in the draft. And the Ravens' 2023 roster will have the 2022 draft pay off big time as their second-year hidden gems, David Ojabo and Isaiah Likely, become stars.