Ravens War Room Video Reveals What Really Happened When Lions Jumped Them
Draft war room videos are basically Christmas morning for draft nerds. Teams release these things knowing full well they’re giving away trade secrets, but the content is too good not to share. The Baltimore Ravens just dropped their 2026 war room video, and buried in there is a fascinating glimpse into what happened when Brad Holmes decided to jump right in front of them to grab Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore.
Here’s what we know: Detroit moved from Pick 50 to 44, leapfrogging Baltimore to snag Moore. The assumption was that Holmes wanted to prevent Ravens head coach Jesse Minter from reuniting with his former Michigan player. Smart move, right?
Well, maybe. Or maybe the Ravens didn’t even want Moore.
Baltimore Had Their Eyes on Someone Else
The Ravens video tells a different story. Leading up to that pick, Baltimore’s front office keeps talking about Missouri defensive end Zion Young. Not Moore. Young.
“I think Young is worth taking, right?” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta asks the room. “I feel strong about Young, don’t you Ozzie?”
“Yeah,” Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome replies.
“We got a first-round grade on Young,” DeCosta continues.
According to the video, Young was their second-best available player heading into Day 2. They never say who was first, but it clearly wasn’t Moore.
The Moment Holmes Made His Move
When Detroit’s trade popped up on their board, DeCosta’s immediate reaction was telling: “Yeah, that’s gonna be for Zion Young… GOD!” You can hear the frustration in his voice. He thought Holmes was about to steal their guy.
Then the pick gets announced. Derrick Moore, not Zion Young.
The room goes quiet. The editing cuts away quickly. When we come back, they calmly take Young at 45, calling him the “20th player on their board.”
Did Baltimore prefer Young over Moore? The video sure makes it look that way. DeCosta’s initial panic when he thought Detroit was taking Young suggests they valued him more highly. But war room videos can be edited to tell whatever story a team wants to tell.
Holmes Got His Guy Either Way
Here’s the thing that matters: if Derrick Moore develops into the pass rusher Brad Holmes thinks he can be, nobody will care what Baltimore’s draft board looked like. The Lions gave up Pick 128 to move up six spots. That’s the cost of doing business when you think you’ve found your guy.
And there’s another detail buried in this video that’s worth noting. Baltimore took calls from both Detroit and Green Bay about trading up to 45. The Lions could have made the same trade with the Ravens (Picks 50 and 128 for 45) but chose instead to jump ahead of them entirely at the same price.
That’s classic Holmes. Why take the risk of Baltimore changing their mind when you can just eliminate the variable altogether?
The Ravens got Young anyway, so everybody walked away happy. But watching DeCosta’s face when he thought Detroit was about to poach his preferred target? That’s the kind of draft room drama we live for.
Did Holmes outsmart Baltimore or just overthink a move he didn’t need to make? Let me know in the comments below.
