Nov 9, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) reacts after a sack in the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
With training camp just around the corner, I will be providing the player profiles for some of the Baltimore Ravens’ most important players until the regular season kicks off. Today’s featured player is outside linebacker Terrell Suggs.
No. 55
Full Name: Terrell Raymonn Suggs
Birthdate: October 11, 1982 (Age 32)
Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Height: 6ft 3in (1.91 m)
Weight: 265 Lbs
Professional Career Highlights:
Super Bowl champion (XLVII)
6x Pro Bowler (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013)
First-team All-Pro (2011)
Second-team All-Pro (2008)
AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2011)
AFC Champion (2012)
AFC Defensive Player of the Year (2011)
AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2003)
PFWA Defensive Player of the Year (2011)
Baltimore Ravens all-time career sack leader
100 Sacks club
Ranked in the NFL’s top 100 Players (2011-2015)
NFL Career Statistics (As of week 17, 2014)
Tackles: 728
Sacks: 106.5
Interceptions: 7
Forced fumbles: 27
How did Terrell Suggs become a Raven?
Suggs attended Arizona State University, where he played for head coach Dirk Koetter from 2000 to 2002. In 2002 he set an NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks. 2002 was a big year for Suggs, in which he won the Morris Trophy, the Ted Hendricks Award, the Lombardi Award, the Bills Wills Trophy and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
He was also a first-team All-Pac-10 selection, thw Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and a unanimous first-team All-American. Suggs finished his collegiate career with 44 sacks, 163 tackles and a school record 65.5 tackles for a loss.
Suggs was drafted by the Ravens 10th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft, becoming one of the youngest defensive players ever drafted at only 20 years.
2014 Stats
In 16 regular season starts Suggs recorded 61 total tackles, 12 sacks, defended one pass, a safety and recovered one fumble. He and fellow outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil led the NFL as the top sack duo, racking up 29 sacks between them. Suggs helped the Ravens rank eighth in overall defense, fourth in run defense, and 10th in pass defense in 2014.
Overall
Suggs is not only an amazing pass rusher but is also great against the run, making him an every-down linebacker. He draws a lot of attention coming off the edge, which makes him a match-up nightmare for offenses to scheme against.
His performances and leadership has helped the Ravens’ defense cope with the loss of defensive mainstays Ed Reed and the iconic Ray Lewis over the past few seasons.
Suggs is a fan favorite and is a big reason why the Ravens have had one of the league’s top defenses over the past decade with over 700 tackles and 106.5 sacks. He is one of the NFL’s top outside linebackers and landed at number 84 in the NFL’s top 100 players in 2015.
Although Suggs is in his 30’s, I believe he will continue to lead the defense for years to come.
Next: Concerns about Terrell Suggs are unnecessary
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