With his unit being a genuine concern entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach George Warhop of course had a few prospects in mind.

One of those prospects was Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson. Vinson offered great size at 6-7 and 321 pounds and great experience as a four-year starter in college, so it’s easy to see why Warhop had his eyes on him.

So when the Ravens were on the clock early in the fifth round, Warhop was “banging the Carson Vinson drum,” in the words of head coach John Harbaugh. After the Ravens sent in the pick, Vinson and Warhop shared a special moment on the draft call.

“Alright big man, do not let me down,” Warhop said on the call. “I’ve been fighting my a** off for you, so come in here ready to work, you got that? … We’re going to find out because I’m going to work the crap out of you, alright?”

At his introductory press conference shortly thereafter, Vinson put his trust in Warhop to help him become the best version of himself.

“Coach Warhop, he’s a great coach. So, there’s a lot of things like that where I feel like I’m in the perfect position to be the best player that I can be,” Vinson said.

Before the draft, the Ravens hosted Vinson for a top-30 visit, where he clearly made a strong impression. Fast forward to today, and he now gets the chance to suit up for the team that held him in such high regard.

“I had my 30 visit with [the Ravens], and it was an amazing time, and you always think it in the back of your head, but, especially coming from a small school, it is almost surreal,” Vinson said. “You think it’s going to happen, but you never really know. So, I saw the Baltimore number pop up, and everything kind of slowed down a little bit. It kind of slowed down. I said, ‘Let me answer this call.’ But it’s just been a blessing. I don’t know if it’s even hit me yet, but I can’t put into words how much I’m blessed to be put into this position.”