A former Lake Braddock Bruin could soon don purple and gold on an NFL gridiron.
Burke native Matthew Hibner was drafted on Saturday (April 25) by the Baltimore Ravens, which selected him in the fourth round with the 133rd overall pick after trading a fifth-round slot and 2027 sixth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers.
“I had a feeling that Baltimore could be the place. The emotions were just overwhelming, just a surreal moment,” Hibner said in a video press conference after his selection.
The son of a retired Army colonel who now works as a director in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hibner graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary School in 2020 with a 4.3 GPA and a 1400 on his SAT, according to the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bruins finished his last season with a 10-3 record and a regional title, though their playoffs run stopped just short of the final four with a 31-15 loss to the ultimate state champions, the South County Stallions. As a senior, he caught 42 passes and scored 12 touchdowns.
Hibner appeared in 28 games during four years at the University of Michigan, where he became acquainted with current Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, then the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator. However, he really broke out once he transferred to Southern Methodist University in Texas, posting career-highs in receptions and receiving yards, according to his college bio.
The NFL’s analysis of Hibner’s potential as a prospect highlighted his speed and “tenacity”:
He builds speed when working the seams and as an open-field runner. He has adequate hands and ball skills to make catches when contested. Hibner has the demeanor and tenacity for pro-blocking duties. However, he’s undersized and needs to work on his hand placement to improve his consistency of results. Hibner is a Day 3 talent with roster potential as a move tight end or true H-back.
According to BaltimoreRavens.com, the team was on the lookout for a tight end after losing Isaiah Likely to the New York Giants and Charlie Kolar to the Los Angeles Rams. Hibner’s skills as both a blocker and a receiving made him a promising fit.
“Trading up 21 spots to get Hibner in Round 4 indicates the Ravens believe he’ll be a valuable piece in Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle’s scheme,” staff writer Clifton Brown said. “They will try to take advantage of the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Hibner and his ability to cause matchup problems.”
Hibner said he’s eager to show off his versatility and essentially “plug and play” based on the Ravens’ needs.
“Being able to be in such a powerful, explosive offense and try to learn from veterans in the room and … be a sponge in my first year, I really can’t think of a better fit,” he said. “I’m so looking forward to it. I can’t wait.”
Hat tip to Edmund Baird
