Ravens officially ink stud 2nd round NFL Draft pick to contract

The Baltimore Ravens are preparing to officially enter their Jesse Minter era. As the new head coach begins his Ravens tenure, he’ll have an explosive rookie to build his defense around.

Second-round Zion Young has officially signed his rookie contract, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. While the terms of his deal is not yet known, he was the last of Baltimore’s draft picks to sign, meaning all of their 2026 draft class is now under contract.

The pass rusher spent two years at Michigan State before transferring to Missouri. In his final year with the Tigers, Young put up new career-highs with 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He was named First-team All-SEC for his efforts.

Entering the offseason, Baltimore knew fixing their pass rush would be a top priority. They ended the 2025 season with 30 sacks, tied for third-fewest in the NFL. After signing Trey Hendrickson in free agency, they couldn’t resist doubling down with Young.

While the Ravens have a clear need, and for all of Young’s talent, he’ll still need to prove himself throughout the offseason program. If it’s clear he is quickly grasping Baltimore’s scheme, he’ll have a more immediate role. As a second-round pick, the Ravens at least want him to be a pivotal piece of their pass rush rotation by the end of the season.

Having a defensive-minded head coach in Minter will certainly help Young’s development. He was hand selected by him. Now officially under contract, the rookie can now focus on football and helping the Ravens go on a deep playoff run.

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