Baltimore, MD – July 14, 2025
When the Ravens open training camp this year, the spotlight naturally falls on the stars — the All-Pros, the new signings, the first-round picks. But somewhere behind them, away from the cameras and press huddles, a quieter battle is unfolding. It’s the kind of fight that doesn’t come with guarantees, but earns respect through grit.
Ravens fans know this feeling. It’s the thrill of watching someone rise when no one expected it. And this summer, that under-the-radar name might just belong to a rookie cornerback who wasn’t even supposed to make noise — let alone the roster.
That name is Bilhal Kone.
Drafted in the sixth round, Kone wasn’t showered with headlines. In a loaded Ravens secondary already boasting Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Jaire Alexander, and Chidobe Awuzie, there simply didn’t seem to be room for another name. Especially not one picked so late, from a background most media barely mentioned.
But Kone didn’t show up to camp to blend in.
He’s been competing like a man with something to prove — because he is. Every rep is a job interview. Every snap, a declaration that he’s not here to participate — he’s here to stay. And slowly, coaches are starting to notice. His physicality at the boundary, his ability to mirror routes, and his non-stop motor are setting him apart from other rookies in his class.
His primary competition? Fellow sixth-rounder Robert Longerbeam, a slot corner from Rutgers, and fourth-year veteran Jalyn Armour-Davis, who has shifted to safety in recent weeks due to injuries in the secondary. While Longerbeam brings speed, and Armour-Davis brings experience, neither has been consistent — opening the door just wide enough for Kone to barrel through.
And that’s what he’s doing. Quietly. Consistently.
What makes the story even more compelling is that Jalyn Armour-Davis, despite being in the league for years, has yet to carve out a meaningful role due to both injuries and underwhelming tape. If Kone continues stacking good days at training camp, it’s not unrealistic to think he might outplay Armour-Davis and take the final cornerback spot on the 53-man roster.
There’s still a long road ahead. Preseason games will be the true test. But Kone is doing what true Ravens do — earning his place the hard way.
“You don’t get handed anything in this building,” a Ravens assistant reportedly said. “That kid? He’s fighting like he knows it.”
And that’s why Bilhal Kone matters. Not because he was a top pick. Not because he had a flashy college resume. But because every day in Owings Mills, he’s living the identity this franchise was built on:
Work harder. Hit smarter. Never blink.
Keep an eye on No. 36. You might just be watching the next great Ravens underdog story begin.
Stay tuned to ESPN for more updates from Ravens camp.
