Two Ravens earn some early and deserved Defensive Rookie of the Year buzz

Yahoo

22-07-2025

Nothing compares to this great game of football. Nothing... Have you ever attended a college football tailgate in the South? Have you ever lent an ear to the constant debates that surround the Baltimore Ravens during the offseason?
Let's clear something up and do so once and for all. The next time we mention devoted and loyal NFL fan bases, Baltimore's contingent had better be at the top of the list. No exceptions will be tolerated. The Flock won't be ignoring a single second of the coming campaign.
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Training camp begins, and "Look and see," the buzz has already started. Everything is on the table from preseason and the 17-game regular season to a possible Super Bowl run and postseason honors.
Two Ravens crack the list of early Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites
While it's much too early to hand out postseason awards, it's almost impossible to convince everyone that the conversation isn't, at least, worth starting. NFL.com recently took it upon itself to shine a spotlight on ten exciting rookies and begin a conversation.
Dan Parr is a senior editor and draft strategist. His top 10 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates for the 2025 regular season include two Ravens.
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Malaki Starks cracks the list at number eight. As Parr mentions, "we have not seen a safety win DROY since 1990", but he's also correct in his take that "it's hard not to be enamored with the table that's been set for this Ravens rookie." Here's more:
"With Ar'Darius Washington suffering an Achilles tear in May, there's no one threatening to challenge Starks for snaps, and head coach John Harbaugh has expressed confidence that the 21-year-old is up to the challenge. He's joining what figures to be one of the league's stoutest defenses, with Pro Bowl talent at all three levels."
That brings us to the other Raven mentioned, fellow rookie Mike Green. The edge rusher earned first-round grades for a while but saw his draft stock fall amid the dreaded 'character concerns'.
Green is only preceded on the list by Abdul Carter (New York Giants), Jahdae Barron (Denver Broncos), and Jalon Walker (Atlanta Falcons). Parr's take makes it hard not to breathe in some more of that early optimism.
"Winning DROY has proven extremely elusive for players picked outside of Round 1. DeMeco Ryans and Shaquille Leonard, both linebackers selected early in Round 2, are the only guys who have accomplished the feat in the last 20 years. Green is somewhat of a unique case, though, as he was widely considered a top-20 talent but fell all the way to Baltimore late in Round 2. Green has denied any wrongdoing, and Ravens GM Eric DeCosta told reporters the franchise was comfortable with Green after doing its due diligence in investigating the allegations.
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On the field, Green has demonstrated the ability to produce at an elite rate. He led the FBS with 17 sacks last season and ranked second with 22.5 tackles for loss. Now he joins perhaps the most talented defense in the league and could earn a designated pass rusher role in which that production carries over to the next level. Edge rushers of late have dominated DROY, and Green is in an enviable situation."
Starks and Green join what is already a loaded Ravens roster. Might they be two of the final pieces that list Baltimore over the hump to their third Lombardi Trophy? Time will tell, but why not the Ravens? Why not now?
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens rookies spark early buzz in an early Defensive ROY conversation