Former SMU tight end Matt Hibner could quickly become a Ravens weapon after Baltimore traded up 21 spots to draft him.
Former SMU tight end Matt Hibner didn’t just hear his name called by the Baltimore Ravens. He heard it after the team made an aggressive move to make sure nobody else got him.
Baltimore traded up 21 spots, jumping from the fifth round into the fourth, to draft Hibner after a run on tight ends thinned the board. For a former Mustang coming off a breakout season, that move said plenty.
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Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said the team viewed Hibner as a player who could help right away, especially after Isaiah Likely left in free agency.
Likely had 69 catches and seven touchdowns over the last two seasons, leaving Baltimore searching for another athletic pass-catching tight end for Lamar Jackson.
Hibner’s SMU tape helped make the case. He caught 31 passes for 436 yards and four touchdowns last season while showing he could line up in multiple spots, run downfield routes and help a quarterback after plays broke down.
“I see myself as more of an Isaiah Likely type of fit,” Hibner said. “Being able to play inline is important, but also being able to get downfield and make plays and be a consistent pass catcher as well.”
That’s exactly what Baltimore saw.
“Athletic guy, catching radius, smart as heck, very productive this year,” DeCosta said. “Checked off a lot of boxes. He reminded us of Isaiah Likely in some ways when we made that pick.”
Hibner also backed up the film at the NFL Combine, running a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and posting a 37-inch vertical jump, both among the best marks for tight ends in his class.
DeCosta said the Ravens don’t usually trade up, but Hibner was one of the tight ends they strongly valued. Baltimore believed his ability to stretch the field made the move worthwhile.
Before his SMU breakthrough, Hibner played at Michigan, where current Ravens coach Jesse Minter saw his toughness up close. Minter praised Hibner’s physicality as a blocker and said Baltimore is excited about what he can become.
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Now Hibner joins a tight end room led by Mark Andrews, the franchise’s all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. The Ravens also drafted Alabama’s Josh Cuevas in the fifth round, but Hibner’s role could come quickly.
“I really can’t think of a better fit, honestly,” Hibner said.
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