“This Draft Felt Like the Wild West” — DeCosta on 2026 Class
If this draft felt unpredictable from the outside, it was no different inside the building.
Reflecting on it during The Lounge Podcast, Eric DeCosta said that uncertainty made trusting their process even more important.
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“Consensus boards are relatively new. Every team has outliers — players they know more about because of deeper scouting, scheme fit, medical, or character info. This draft felt like the ‘wild west.’ There’s the ‘stepchild effect’ where good players get overshadowed by teammates. We trust our process. Analytics are helping align boards more across the league.”
Despite the evolving landscape, DeCosta made it clear that Baltimore's confidence remains rooted in its own process, reinforcing the organization's belief in its scouting infrastructure. At the same time, he acknowledged the growing role of analytics in shaping decisions across the league, noting that data is helping bring more alignment between teams’ draft boards.
Still, for the Ravens, the balance remains clear—blend analytics with traditional scouting, trust internal conviction, and be willing to differ from the consensus when necessary.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens GM breaks down draft outliers, analytics role