Football can be a nomadic profession. Long careers where every snap is played with the same team aren’t the rule. They’re the exceptions. That’s especially true for young stars, Baltimore Ravens or otherwise, who enter the league as sixth-round draftees.
Safety Alohi Gilman is such a young star. Drafted 186th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers, he signed a two-year extension on March 13, 2024. On October 7, they traded him and a 2026 fifth-round pick to Baltimore in exchange for Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-rounder.
The past few days have been a whirlwind of sorts. Following Week 6’s game, he spoke with media members. The new kid on the block says he “felt good” in his first game with his new team and described “football as being the easy part”, but he also expects to get more feedback from his defensive coordinator, Zach Orr.
“Yes, I got in at 6 a.m. off a red eye [flight] on Wednesday and learned a whole new football scheme in three days, and [I] went out there and executed. [I] did good overall, so it was a long week. Obviously, the transition, I’m still learning people’s names. I don’t even know everyone’s names on the defense yet, so that’s a whole other world, too. But, it was a good week. I’m just ready to build from it.”
Now, it’s all about settling in to a solid secondary that he hopes can become more cohesive. “Make the plays that come to you, add some flexibility, some versatility to the defense, (and) help Kyle [Hamilton] and the rest of the guys get into their spots that help them to be successful.” That’s the name of his game now.
“I’m going to go out there and give that extra ‘oomph’ towards the ball, constantly around it [and] being a guy who’s going to find that ball no matter what. That’s what I do, and I’m excited to keep building on it.”
So far, so good on that front. Only two Ravens recorded more than his seven total tackles. His four solo stops tied for the team lead. The Ravens have something special here, another weapon who can hopefully shore up what’s been an up-and-down secondary.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Alohi Gilman gives fans a glimpse into his first days with the Ravens
