The first week of Baltimore Ravens training camp has already produced a clear set of risers and a couple of players who have had a tougher opening stretch.
On offense, the early buzz has centered on a rookie wideout making noise everywhere he turns, while Lamar Jackson has picked up right where the Ravens wanted him to. On the other side of the ball, Nate Wiggins has been a steady force, showing the kind of playmaking the Ravens are counting on from him. And in the tight end room, Matt Hibner has quietly put together a strong start that’s hard to ignore.
Ja’Kobi Lane may be the name that has separated itself most so far. After Tuesday’s practice, he could easily be viewed as the biggest winner of camp to this point.
The rookie third-round pick has stacked highlight after highlight, and the early returns have been about as strong as Baltimore could have hoped. With starting reps at wide receiver still there to be won, Lane’s timing matters.
He needed a fast start, and he’s given himself a real shot to carve out an immediate role.
Jackson has been every bit as sharp as the Ravens would want early on. He opened camp by going 10-for-13 on day one and carried that rhythm until the first day of pads, when the defense took control.
Even with that shift, the bigger takeaway is simple: he looks comfortable in Declan Doyle’s new system and, more importantly, he’s thriving in it. He’s also getting useful support around him.
Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman have done their part, Lane has broken out, and other rookie weapons have flashed as well. Among them, Vega Ioane’s early impression could end up mattering most for Jackson in 2026.
For now, Jackson and the group around him are both doing their jobs.
Wiggins has been just as impressive on defense. He stood out during the offseason program and has kept that momentum rolling into camp.
The Ravens want him to develop into a true CB1, and he’s giving every sign that he’s ready for that leap. He’s been glued to receivers, showing the ability to stay in phase snap after snap, and his ball skills have jumped off the field.
Multiple pass breakups have already come his way, and on Tuesday he added an interception to the list. He looks the part.
Hibner has also made his presence felt. In the rookie tight end competition, he appears to be pushing ahead of Josh Cuevas, and he’s been involved every day.
Ryan Mink noted that Hibner has caught the most passes of any tight end in camp through the first week. That kind of start would be a welcome development for a Ravens tight end room that lost two key producers in Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in free agency.
Not every rookie has enjoyed the same kind of momentum. Elijah Sarratt falls into the tougher category after the opening week.
He hasn’t been bad - he’s been on the field and working through the NFL learning curve - but the attention has gone elsewhere. Lane has been impossible to miss, and that’s made Sarratt’s quiet start stand out even more.
He already had an uphill battle behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Devontez Walker, and now Lane seems to be moving ahead of him on the depth chart. If Sarratt can’t crack the first group during camp, his rookie season could become a steep climb.
Corey Bullock is in a similar spot, though for different reasons. The center battle took a hit when the Ravens signed Ethan Pocic, and while Minter has said Pocic is not guaranteed to start, the competition now appears to be among Pocic, Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn.
Bullock, who made the team last year, has slipped into a difficult position after the Ravens added three centers in free agency. Camp hasn’t helped, either, because he hasn’t been able to get on the field.
He’s currently on the non-football illness list while recovering from appendicitis, and his path to a roster spot now depends on whether he can return and make a real push.
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