The Baltimore Ravens added a powerful new presence to their offensive line on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson with the 141st overall pick.
Vinson’s selection marks a milestone: he becomes the first HBCU prospect drafted since Jackson State’s Isaiah Bolden in 2023 and the first player out of Alabama A&M to be picked since 2011. Notably, he’s the first offensive player from the program drafted in over three decades.
“Being from an HBCU, it’s so special,” Vinson said Saturday, via the team’s transcript. “After all the rivalries, we’re one big family. I stayed at Alabama A&M for all four years and it was the best four years of my life. You can reach your dreams no matter where you are.”
Vinson was the only HBCU player to earn invitations to both the NFL Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl this year. He used the national stage to showcase his skills against top-tier competition.
“That Senior Bowl stage let me prove I could play with the best,” he said. “It answered a lot of questions about whether guys from smaller schools can translate to the next level. It was truly a blessing.”
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 314 pounds Vinson was a four-year starter at left tackle for Alabama A&M, steadily improving each season. In his final year he allowed just two sacks across 447 pass-blocking snaps, earning first-team All-SWAC honors and an AP FCS All-American honorable mention.
While he may need time to fine-tune his technique, the Ravens see significant potential in Vinson’s athleticism and grit. Traits he’s eager to build on under veteran offensive line coach George Warhop.
“I bring tenacity, and I’m an athlete,” Vinson said. “With Coach Warhop and the Ravens’ organization helping me sharpen my technique, I’m in the perfect place to become the best player I can be.”
