Ravens sit No. 10 in defensive triplets ranking, where Roquan Smith’s rebound becomes the storyline

The Ravens’ defensive identity is still being built around a familiar three-piece core, even if the outside view does not rank it as high as it has been. In Sports Illustrated’s defensive triplets rankings for 2026, Baltimore placed No. 10 with outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson, inside linebacker Roquan Smith, and safety Kyle Hamilton as the trio.

Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano framed the ranking drop as a function of Smith’s 2025 production. The SI assessment notes Smith had “zero sacks and no interceptions,” and it characterized the year as a “concerning down season,” contrasting Smith with Hamilton’s continued playmaking and Hendrickson’s standing as an elite pass-rush talent. Manzano also referenced Hendrickson’s sack history from his final three seasons in Cincinnati, 39 total sacks, as part of the case for how far the triplets ceiling could still be.

The most direct Ravens response to that kind of criticism is not a counterpunch in a ranking, but a vote of confidence from within the building. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver told reporters at OTAs that he expects Smith to return to All-Pro form, emphasizing Smith’s role in communication, alignment, and overall pace. Weaver’s comments, in the Ravens’ own summary, were blunt: “The simple answer is, ‘yes.’”

Mandatory minicamp begins Tuesday, June 9, and it arrives as a check-in point on multiple positions, not just defense. The Ravens are working through the center competition after Tyler Linderbaum’s departure in free agency, and the team has not selected a direct replacement in the draft. Baltimore’s internal focus, according to Jeff Zrebiec’s position-battle breakdown carried by the club, extends to two other “No. 3” jobs that may shape how deep the roster feels when training camp ends and the preseason roster cuts begin.

At wide receiver, the No. 3 battle lists Devontez Walker as the favorite among Ja’Kobi Lane, Elijah Sarratt, and LaJohntay Wester. Walker’s edge is experience, plus production flashes the Ravens staff can evaluate more easily in live sessions. Zrebiec’s recap also includes a practical roster path for Wester: his clearest chance to stick is by winning the punt return job. In a group where the depth receiver role may be decided by reliability in special teams, that matters as much as routes and targets.

At running back, Rasheen Ali is labeled the favorite over rookie Adam Randall for the No. 3 spot behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. The Ravens’ write-up characterizes the way Randall could earn the job as a three-part case: carve out time on special teams, show he can handle blitz pickup, and prove he can contribute in spot-duty roles if the offensive coordinator decides not to carry more than two running backs on game days. It also notes that Ali logged 55 percent of Baltimore’s special teams snaps and served as a kick returner, giving him a built-in advantage in the early summer evaluation.

Minicamp also offers a chance to clarify the timeline for players who have been working around injuries. In a “two questions” framing, the Ravens highlighted that training-camp availability could become clearer this week for players still sidelined at OTAs, including outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (recovering from a 2025 elbow injury) and cornerback Bilhal Kone (coming back from a season-ending knee injury suffered last preseason). Alongside that, Baltimore’s staff plan for practices is expected to reflect new emphasis under Jesse Minter, including a greater intensity and scale compared with last year’s approach, which had started later in the day under John Harbaugh.

Finally, even the running back conversation is reaching past this season. In an early mock draft from Bleacher Report, Brent Sobleski projects the Ravens would take Florida’s Jadan Baugh at No. 29 overall in a 2027 mock. The rationale is explicit: Sobleski portrays Baugh as a complementary back who could spell Henry to extend his shelf life, then eventually take over as the offensive workhorse. Of course, that is not a plan, only an extrapolation, but it reflects what Baltimore is trying to manage long-term: sustaining power and physicality at the position as the veteran timeline tightens.