The Baltimore Ravens last season featured one of the most lethal rushing attacks in all of football, and according to Pro Football Football, next season will be more of the same for the Ravens.
In a June 18 article titled “2025 NFL running back unit rankings: Derrick Henry spearheads Ravens’ top-ranked group,” writer Dalton Wasserman ranked the Ravens the No. 1 running back unit in the NFL.
Wasserman cited All-Pro running back Derrick Henry as the top reason for the Ravens ranking. Last season, Henry was PFF’s highest-graded running back with a 93.5 rushing grade.
Despite Henry being 31 entering the season, Wasserman is confident that Henry’s 89 missed tackles and 6.0 yards per carry last year are indications Henry is not slowing down any time soon. “At this point, his eventual decline isn’t believable until we see it,” Wasserman said.
Justice Hill & Keaton Mitchell Complement Henry
While Henry is the crown jewel of the Ravens running back room, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell have also offered a change of pace from Henry’s bruising running style.
Hill’s contributions to the Ravens have come more through the air than on the ground. Hill leads the Ravens running backs in receiving with 42 receptions for 383 yards and 3 touchdowns. Hill has been a reliable option for quarterback Lamar Jackson on third and passing downs.
Keaton Mitchell, at 5-foot-8, 191 pounds, will look to be a sparkplug for the Ravens in 2025. Mitchell had a promising rookie season, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt on 47 carries and 10.3 yards per reception on 9 catches in 8 games before tearing his ACL late in the season. Mitchell wasn’t activated until Week 10 in the 2024 season and was essentially a non-factor.
Reports out of mini-camp are positive in the direction of Mitchell returning to form. Jonas Shafer wrote in an article for the Baltimore Banner titled “Ravens OTAs: Keaton Mitchell hits a new gear in practice, and John Harbaugh comments on Lamar Jackson’s absence,” that Mitchell is hitting 22.2 MPH running, which even surprised Mitchell.
“Really, I wasn’t planning on running that fast, but I guess I just came back,” Mitchell said. This season, he will look to bounce back and expand on the potential he showed in the 2023 season.
Lamar Jackson Factor
Beyond having a Hall of Fame running back, one of the most significant factors in the Ravens’ rushing success is two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Jackson’s legs always need to be accounted for on every play, and that threat sets the table for the Ravens backfield. Last season, Jackson averaged 6.6 yards per attempt and 915 yards on the ground overall.
Henry summarized Jackson’s impact on the ground game in a January 7 article for the Ravens website titled “News & Notes: Derrick Henry Calls Lamar Jackson the ‘Best Player in the League’” written by Clifton Brown. Henry said, “You can put anybody by Lamar, and they’re going to have a hell of a year.” Henry’s praise is backed up statistically, as well as according to Statmuse. Since Jackson took over as the Ravens’ starter in 2018, the team has finished in the top 3 in rushing every year. In the last two seasons, the Ravens have finished number one.
The Ravens are expected to continue their rushing dominance heading into the 2025 season, and with Henry, Hill, and Mitchell healthy coming into training camp, there’s no reason to think it won’t be more of the same.
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