Five Things to Know About Vega Ioane

The Ravens took Penn State guard Vega Ioane with the No. 14 overall pick in the first round Thursday night. Here are five things to know about Ioane:

Ioane didn't allow a sack in his two years as a starter at Penn State and didn't draw a single penalty flag either. Lamar Jackson was sacked 36 times last season and much of that pressure came up the middle. The two-time MVP quarterback should have a more secure pocket in 2026 if Ioane starts from Day 1 as expected.

"My pass protection, that's something I work on every day, same with the run game," Ioane said during a Zoom conference call following his selection. "With the pass game, I'm coming in with the mentality that I'm not trying to get beat, nobody's going to touch my quarterback, it's as simple as that."

After dropping 20 pounds prior to the start of last season, Ioane played at 325 pounds, which improved his mobility without detracting from his strength. He's a powerful straight-ahead blocker with the quickness to lead running backs as a pulling guard. Imagine Ioane out in space, paving the way for Derrick Henry. Ioane often throws punishing blocks that knock defenders off their feet.

Born in American Samoa, Ioane moved with his family to Graham, Wash., but didn't begin playing organized football until the ninth grade. He has developed from a novice at football to being a first-round draft choice in just seven years. He's still just 22 years old and has plenty of room for growth, which is why many scouts think he'll become a perennial Pro Bowl player.

Ioane is just the second guard the Ravens have selected in Round 1, joining Ben Grubbs who they drafted in 2007. Ioane has the potential to be a long-term starter on a team that needed to upgrade its interior line play, making him the right fit for Baltimore. He was the player most often linked to them in mock drafts.

The youngest of nine children, Ioane's family made sure he focused on academics first. None of his five older brothers played organized football, and rugby was the family's preferred sport. Ioane often talked about the support he has received from his family, and he watched the draft with a huge contingent of family and friends. The large Ioane family is now part of the Ravens' flock.

"I've got about 80 people here, I've got a big family," Ioane said. "Forty of them make up my own family. Everybody else is just extended family who aren't really related, but they're my family now. That's exactly why they're here."

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