Matt Hibner

Baltimore's initial 2026 depth chart slots Hibner as TE3 behind Mark Andrews and blocking-first Durham Smythe, with special-teams value cited as his edge over fellow rookie Josh Cuevas for an active game-day spot — the near-term battle is roster security, not receiving volume.

Hibner's receiving profile rests on one standout season at SMU (31 catches, 436 yards) after totaling just two catches across three years at Michigan, leaving a thin sample to project his NFL receiving translation.

Isaiah Likely (69 catches, 7 TD combined over his final two Ravens seasons) and Charlie Kolar both departed in free agency, clearing the complementary receiving-TE role Hibner was specifically drafted to fill, with Smythe profiling as a blocker rather than a receiving threat.

Baltimore traded up 21 spots (moving from the fifth into the fourth round) to secure Hibner, an unusually proactive move for a TE, and early preseason coverage already floated a 'sneaky big role' for him in 2026.