The Cincinnati Bengals' NFL landscape-changing trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence will dish out Sunday scaries through their AFC North division in particular. All of a sudden, Lawrence gives the Bengals a more formidable d-line than they've really ever had during the Joe Burrow era.
With the Burrow-led offense expected to light up the scoreboard, Lawrence will be in prime position to tee off as the elite interior pass rusher he is. That'll only give the likes of Myles Murphy, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and even Shemar Stewart more opportunities to pile up clean-up sacks.
So how might the division's stiffest competition, the Baltimore Ravens, counteract the Bengals' acquisition of Lawrence? By spending their 14th overall pick on the offensive line, that's how.
Ravens likely to answer Bengals' Dexter Lawrence trade with top guard prospect in 2026 NFL Draft
On FanSided's interactive NFL Draft big board, Ebony Bird site expert Connor Burke listed Penn State guard Vega Ioane as the Ravens' No. 2 draft target in Round 1. Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is atop the list, but his stock is exploding in the days leading up to draft night.
Thus, Ioane feels like the most realistic target for Baltimore with the 14th overall pick, especially since he can help protect Lamar Jackson from Lawrence and the Bengals' defensive line. Here's Burke's write-up on how Ioane fits into the Ravens' future plans:
"If it's not going to be a wide receiver, the offensive line has to be the move in the first round for Baltimore. Vega Ioane has been paired with the Ravens in countless mock drafts, and he fits exactly what they need: a high-profile interior protector. They signed John Simpson, but the other spot remains a massive question mark. Ioane would immediately fill the concerning area, and in turn, he'd hopefully keep Lamar Jackson off the injury report."
Funnily enough, ex-Ravens coach and current New York Giants boss John Harbaugh was just part of the brain trust that executed the Dexter Lawrence trade. The G-Men now own the fifth and 10th overall picks, and Harbaugh loves to build up the trenches.
How poetic it'd be for Harbaugh to stick it to Baltimore and snipe Ioane with that 10th pick.
Were that to transpire, though, another name who's drawing a lot of buzz is Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge. What's most compelling about him is that he's taken snaps at center leading into the draft, even though he was a right guard only for the Yellow Jackets.
Keylan Rutledge is a good name to include as a player who might sneak into the late 1st round.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 7, 2026
One of the reasons is position flex. He has been snapping for teams and some in NFL see him as a day 1 starter at center or guard. https://t.co/jLHrg0iozn
Would the 14th pick be too rich for Rutledge as Tyler Linderbaum's much-cheaper successor? Given how vital Linderbaum was to the offense, if anyone close to his caliber is available at No. 14, why wouldn't Baltimore pull the trigger?
Rutledge or even Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon would be a fine consolation prize if the Ravens miss out on Ioane. There's a perceived gap between Ioane and those two. I don't think it's that big, especially with Rutledge's positional versatility working in his favor.
We'll see if Harbaugh and the rest of the teams picking in the top 13 allow Burke's dream scenario to play out, where Ioane falls to Baltimore. In any event, it'd be a bit of a shock to see any position other than a guard or center as the Ravens' first-round target.
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