The Baltimore Ravens may have fired John Harbaugh, but they went shopping for a replacement in the same store. Jesse Minter has been hired as the new Baltimore Ravens head coach, and he's a branch off of the Jim Harbaugh coaching tree.
Before he coached under Jim, however, he was hired by John as an assistant in Baltimore. It was John who gave Minter his first job in the NFL back in 2017, and it's now the Ravens who have tabbed him as the man to lead them into the promised land.
With Minter on board, the Ravens can be expected to keep almost the exact same culture as a team, but the defensive side of the ball should get a major jolt. And that will come not only from Minter, but undoubtedly an emphasis on that side of the ball in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ravens 2026 NFL mock draft: Jesse Minter loads up on defensive talent
1. 14th overall: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
Anytime you are reloading, you need to make sure you are as good as you can possibly be in the trenches. Nobody understands that better than Jesse Minter, who will have a dilemma on his hands about potentially taking a defensive lineman here, or potentially a cornerback.
The Ravens struggled at both positions in the 2025 season, ranking 30th against the pass while also finishing the year having just one defensive lineman (Travis Jones) with more than three tackles for loss. The need for help up front is obvious, and the opportunity to take Peter Woods here would be a no-brainer.
Woods has been considered one of the best interior defensive line prospects all year long, and was previously thought to be a potential top-5 lock. He might have had a bit of a down year statistically, but would still be outstanding for Minter and the Ravens.
2. 45th overall: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
No matter if he was coaching up 1st-round, All-Pro talents like Derwin James, or Day 3 picks like Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, player development in the secondary under Jesse Minter was an obvous strength while he was with the Chargers.
Whoever he tabs as a target for the defensive backfield with the Ravens is going to benefit, but when you combine the scheme and coaching of Jesse Minter with the playmaking ability and obvious love for the game of San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, you have a recipe for something special.
Johnson might be one of the best-kept secrets in the NFL Draft world right now, but the secret is soon to get out. He's an absolute menace when it comes to making plays on the ball with six career interceptions, including two pick-sixes this past season. He also had five career forced fumbles, three of them coming in the 2024 season.
3. 80th overall: D'angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
There is no question that the defensive backfield and cornerback position, in particular, will be a focus area for the Ravens. The EDGE rusher position should be addressed at some point as well, but you have to take advantage of the board as it falls.
In this simulation, Indiana's playmaking defensive back D'angelo Ponds fell to the Ravens' pick slot in the third round, and I don't think there's any question that they should pounce if he's sitting there. Even if they've just taken another cornerback.
Ponds made play after play on the football during his college career with seven interceptions and 33 passes broken up. He had a pick-six each of the last two seasons, and was a key reason why the Hoosiers were able to win a National Championship this past season. He'd be a great fit for Minter's defense in Baltimore.