The Void Has Solutions

But The Ravens Better Grab One!

For a team that has long heralded the importance of being strong up the middle, the Baltimore Ravens have a significant hole — wait for it — right up the middle.

As in the middle of the offense. As in that guy who serves as the pivot piece of the entire offensive front, and is the person who starts each play by feeding the ball to the two-time MVP quarterback behind him.

The Ravens don’t have a center.

OK, that might be harsh. The Ravens do have Corey Bullock, Jovaughn Gwyn and Danny Pinter as centers at this time and any one of them could conceivably break out and become a plus player if afforded the opportunity. It happens. Likely? Not so much. But possible. Remotely possible, but possible.

And, yeah, there are still some question marks at guard at this time, and you could throw in tight end, corner, receiver and edge, if you’d like. But it feels like the Ravens could suit up for the season’s opener and have a fighting chance with the guys currently on the roster at those positions. At center, it’s hard to realistically feel that way right now.

Barring some surprise trade, the Ravens are going to enter next month’s draft with that void still remaining. Per Gregg Rosenthal’s Top 101 free agent listings, there isn’t a single center from that list still available, and this wasn’t a particularly strong free agent class to begin with, if we’re being honest. So, it’s going to come down to the draft, in all likelihood.

Now, here’s the good news. There are some decent center prospects in this crop of rookies-to-be. Most of the draft pundits believe there is a handful of potential starters coming out this year, and while there’s no clear Creed Humphrey or Tyler Linderbaum in the ranks, there seem to be some guys who can do the job, with room to develop still left on the bone.

But there aren’t 20 of them, and knowing when to pull the trigger on these guys is going to be the question. Pick one too early, and you risk losing out on a player from one of those “premium” positions that help with the salary cap and planning. Wait too long, and… well, you’re looking at Corey Bullock, Jovaughn Gwyn and Danny Pinter battling it out in Owings Mills this summer for the job.

This will cause some sleepless nights for much of the Flock.

The Ravens need to leave the draft with a guy they believe can play center well enough to keep this offense humming and generate yards and points against quality opponents when it matters the most. We’ve watched seasons go down in flames with sloppy snaps and defensive penetration blowing up plays before they start. Heck, the Ravens of years past have caused other teams’ seasons to go down in flames because of weaknesses up the middle. This is a critical need.

Though there are anywhere from four to eight centers in this year’s crop who could conceivably help the Ravens out going forward, I’m going to give you the three that I like watching the most. Will they be the best of the group? Honestly, nobody knows for sure, and I’m including hundreds of people who are infinitely more qualified to know these things than I am. But these are my favorites, and I suggest you take a look at them if you’re interested.

Logan Jones, Iowa

This isn’t just an effort to replace a Hawkeye center with a Hawkeye center, I promise. He is my favorite to watch in this class, and one of my favorite players in the class, regardless of position.

NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein described Jones as, “Undersized but highly experienced with NFL-ready technique.” Though short-armed, Jones plays hard and physical, and truly shines in the run game. Brandon Thorn wrote in Bleacher Report this fall that Jones has, “Very good initial quickness and burst to close space and establish first meaningful contact on defenders in the zone run game and on back blocks.”

Thorn’s comparison? Diet Coke Tyler Linderbaum.

Sam Hecht, Kansas State

I like watching Hecht lock on to defenders, and it’s easy to envision him leading the way for a long Derrick Henry run on a pull.

“He plays with well-placed inside hands that help maximize his leverage and core strength,” wrote Zierlein. “All schemes are available to him but his athleticism will shine when activated in space.”

“Sam Hecht is a thickly built, sturdy, and alert presence at the pivot who won’t overwhelm or wow in space but has solid play strength and clear eyes to hold ground, sort movement, and keep the offense on schedule,” wrote Thorn, who compared him to Tyler Biadasz.

Connor Lew, Auburn

I’m not as big on Lew as some others, largely because I’m always wary of guys coming off injuries and he doesn’t always look natural to me. But it’s easy to see that he could become a decent center in the league.

“He’s a natural bender with better foot quickness and athleticism than he shows in the Auburn run scheme,” wrote Zierlein. “He has strong hands and a strong core to neutralize. He can bump and climb with good fluidity.”

“Connor Lew is a young prospect with a solid all-around skill-set who operates on time with good positional leverage,” shared Thorn. “However, Lew has an underdeveloped frame and lacks an elite trait. Even so, the runway to improve and develop into a starter remains.” He compared Lew to Matt Hennessy.

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/03/27/nfl-draft/center-options-for-ravens/