The Baltimore Ravens had a slew of picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, so general manager Eric Decosta figured he might as well let team owner Steve Bisciotti make one.
It was a first for Bisciotti, who has owned the club since 2004. Given his opportunity to make his stamp through the draft, he selected Clemson running back Adam Randall in the fifth round (No. 174 overall).
"Adam Randall's an interesting pick," general manager Eric DeCosta said Saturday, per the team transcript. "You'll probably see the video at some point -- it's the first draft pick that Steve Bisciotti has ever made. So, when we were down in Florida, Steve was begging for a draft pick and he owns the team. I said, 'Yes, Steve. Of course you can have a draft pick.' And so we decided on our last fifth-round pick. He did his research. He studied the tape and talked to people. He has a really good relationship with the Clemson head coach (Dabo Swinney)."
Though Bisciotti ultimately made the call, DeCosta raved about Randall, as well, pointing to the running back's versatility.
"Adam's a guy as a former wideout. He has a varied skillset," DeCosta said. "He does a lot of different things well. We think the best is yet to come with him as a running back. He has really good hands. He can run routes. He's a possible kick returner -- a special teams guy. He has a great body and good measurables, and we're excited to see what he can do. He's kind of a 'jackknife.' He's a phenomenal kid. We think [he's] one of the best makeups in this draft."
The Randall selection, Baltimore's third in fifth round following cornerback Chandler Rivers (No. 162) and tight end Josh Cuevas (No. 173), provides the Ravens with more backfield depth and a potential heir to Derrick Henry as he enters his age-32 season.
Like Henry, Randall cuts an imposing figure. He's 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, an inch taller and 20 pounds lighter than Henry, and could play part in a thunderous duo, wearing down defenses with repeated tough running. He'll still need to master the learning curve at running back after converting to wide receiver as a senior, but his days spent primarily as a pass catcher also provide a complementary aspect playing in rotation with Justice Hill and Rasheen Ali behind Henry.
Henry has eclipsed 20 receptions in a season just twice during his 10-year career. Randall's 36 catches with the Tigers last season would actually be a career high for the older back.
Randall also returned nine kicks as a senior for 213 yards, good for 23.7 yards per return, providing him yet another avenue to see the field in the early going.
Bisciotti will, of course, have a vested interest in all 11 of Baltimore 2026 draft picks finding their footing in the coming months and years, but if Randall pans out as his first-ever pick, it would be quite a sweet feather in Bisciotti's GM cap.
