Typically, a seventh round pick doesn't have the greatest odds of making the two deep and seeing a lot of playing time. Evan Beernsten, an offensive guard selected out of Northwestern by the Baltimore Ravens with the 253rd pick, is quite a different story. The 11th and final selection made by the Ravens in this draft, he's in the position group that is this team's most pressing need.
The Ravens have been very busy this season, in both free agency and the draft, overhauling the interior of the offensive line.The center position will be a wide open competition during training camp, and while Beernsten isn't expected to compete for a starting role, but he may surprise you in terms of what his role could ultimately be. His ability to slide over to center, from right guard, will serve him well. Also, he's seasoned.
He's so seasoned, you could just nickname him Lawry's (or, better yet, Old Bay to keep it local), as he'll turn 26 this September. Yes, the Ravens might have a 26-year-old rookie on their roster this season. The Appleton, WI native spent six years at FCS level South Dakota State, where he won two FCS national championships and earned All-Missouri Valley Conference plaudits twice.
In other words, Beernsten is very accomplished, on both a collective and individual level. When he transferred to Evanston, he enrolled at Northwestern as a graduate student, and garnered All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors this past season. 2025 was his lone season with the Wildcats, and it saw him earn a 80.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, which was good for 11th nationally among offensive guards, fourth best in the Big Ten.His position group mate, offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan, went in the third round to the Minnesota Vikings, and with it, the duo marked the 188th and 189th NFL Draft picks in NU history.
Beernsten allowed no sacks or quarterback hits this past season, as he started all 13 games for the Wildcats. Given his age, maturity and CV, he's more ready to step in and immediately play than your average NFL draftee. This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Northwestern's Evan Beernsten brings age, experience to Ravens table