Most top 10 lists act as a countdown to the number one. The thing is you already know who is at the top of the list. The first five players on the list are pretty obvious which makes the countdown rather anticlimactic. The fun debate comes after the top 5. That’s where I scratched my head and said that they were more deserving players than slots in this elite company.
How many organizations in sports are as amazing as the Baltimore Ravens? The first two players that the Ravens drafted will be sure-fire hall of famers. The Ravens have won two Super Bowls and they are celebrating their 20th birthday. The Ravens have had some bad seasons (including this one) but they have enjoyed tons of fortune.
Now sit back and enjoy this trip down memory lane. We could all use this helpful distraction as the Ravens have only 5 wins this season and 20 players on injured reserve. Debate is unavoidable. There are many different ways this list could have gone. That is the fun in this conversation though, let the debate begin. This is my all time top 10 Ravens list!
Next: 1. Ray Lewis
1. Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis is the legend that defines what the Ravens are all about. Ray Lewis is arguably the greatest linebacker in the history of football and he is undoubtedly the best player in Ravens history. Ray Lewis will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot. He was the most incredible player I have ever had the joy of watching on the gridiron and will always be my favorite athlete of all time.
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According to Pro-Football Reference, Lewis recorded 1,562 tackles and assisted on 493 tackles. He sacked the quarterback 41.5 times and had 31 interceptions in his career. He had eight seasons with over 100 tackles in his 17 year campaign. Every snap Ray Lewis played in the NFL was with the Ravens. Lewis is a Raven for life.
What Lewis means to the Ravens and their fans has a far greater impact than any statistic can say. Lewis is perhaps the best defensive player of all time and there is a reason he has a statue outside of M&T Bank Stadium.
Next: 2. Jonathan Ogden
2. Jonathan Ogden
Jonathan Ogden was the first player drafted by the Ravens and in 2013 he was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ogden was one of the best left tackles the game has ever seen. In addition to being a phenomenal football player he is one of the best human beings the NFL has ever had to offer. Ogden is a gentle giant off the field and has a tremendous personality that endeared him to Ravens Nation.
Ogden was one of the most incredible athletes you will ever see. His gigantic 6’9″ 345 pound body was like a brick wall that stopped pass rushers in their tracks. Ogden was a huge part of the Ravens first Super Bowl championship; Jamal Lewis running behind him was the best thing the Ravens did offensively. Ogden only had one great quarterback in his career to protect (Steve McNair) but Ogden protected every one as if they were Johnny U.
There aren’t enough words to describe how awesome of a player Ogden was and how cool of a person he is. JO you are and will forever be the man.
Next: 3. Ed Reed
3. Ed Reed
Ed Reed will forever be known as the greatest ball hawk of all time. Reed was the greatest fear of every quarterback in the NFL. Most great defensive backs make you pay for a mistake at the quarterback position; Reed could make you pay even if you did everything right. Reed is the greatest free safety of all time. Ed Reed and Ray Lewis had a special bond that made them the best defensive duo the NFL will ever see.
Let’s take a look at the numbers because they are insane. Reed had 643 tackles, 64 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and 6 sacks in his career. He set a record with a 106 yard interception return against the Browns. He broke his own record when he returned an interception against the Philadelphia Eagles 108 yards (I was at both record-setting games. The moments were amazing.)
There will never be a player quite like Reed. He was the perfect mix of talent, football IQ and passion. He did make one thing clear after his Super Bowl win…he has two tickets to paradise.
Next: 4. Terrell Suggs
4. Terrell Suggs
Terrell Suggs is in the same category that Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are in. Suggs is a special player and is one of the most well-rounded outside linebackers in NFL history. In the shadow of two hall of famers on his defense, Suggs has done some amazing things. Suggs showed his leadership in 2013 without Lewis and Reed. This season the Ravens defense wasn’t quite the same without him.
Suggs has put up some big time numbers. Suggs has 106.5 sacks on his resume. This makes him the 24th on the all time quarterback sack list, which puts his greatness into perspective. Suggs is a big game player and he has had some of his best moments in the postseason. The “Ball So Hard University” graduate has had 12.5 sacks, 1 interception and 2 fumble recoveries in 17 playoff games.
Simply put Suggs is special. He has been outshined by the best linebacker of all time and the best free safety of all time. Suggs may not be the greatest outside linebacker of all time but he is the greatest one in Ravens history. Suggs is a once in a lifetime talent. He also has a larger than life charisma that makes him unforgettable. T-Sizzle is a hall of fame player in my eyes; just like Lewis and Reed.
Next: Joe Flacco
5. Joe Flacco
The Baltimore Ravens changed forever when they drafted the greatest Delaware Blue Hen of all time, Joe Flacco. Flacco became the first true franchise quarterback the Ravens ever had. When we recreate this list 50 years into Ravens football, Flacco may be higher on the list. The people in front of Flacco are some of the biggest legends in the game. In a smaller scale, what Flacco has done is legendary in itself. The Ravens are hoping that the second half of Flacco’s career is even more amazing than the incredible eight year start.
Related: 5 Reasons To Appreciate Joe Flacco
Flacco has won more road playoff games than any other quarterback in NFL history. Reed and Suggs would never have won their Super Bowl without a Joe Flacco. In that 2o12 playoff run, Flacco tied a record set by Joe Montana and Kurt Warner, throwing 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. He was the Super Bowl MVP for a reason, his greatest stretch of football gave the Ravens their greatest moment. Ray Lewis got to walk away from football after his second Super Bowl victory and it could not have happened without Flacco.
Baltimore has a franchise quarterback. These are words we dreamt of saying when we were going through the QB carousel every season. For the first time in Ravens history the quarterback was just as important as the middle linebacker. For the first time in Ravens history the most important position in football was filled by the perfect man for the job. In Joe we trust.
Next: 6. Peter Boulware
6. Peter Boulware
Another player that played his entire career in Baltimore, Peter Boulware was a consistent performer for the Ravens. In his 9 seasons with the Ravens, he recorded 292 tackles, 70 sacks, 14 forced fumbles and 1 interception. Boulware was part of the 2000 Ravens defense which is widely considered the greatest defense of all time. Boulware embodied the Ravens way, he was tough as nails, had a high football IQ and he never quit on a play.
Boulware went to the NFL Pro Bowl 4 times. His muscular 6’4″ 255 pound frame, and incredible burst off the edge made Boulware a forced to be reckoned with off the edge. He was stingy against the run and he made quarterbacks run for their lives. He was a monster on the football field and I mean that in a good way. Boulware and Ray Lewis were a dynamic duo in the first half of the Ravens history.
What I will remember about Boulware is that he was all heart. He never quit. He never wore down. He kept coming and he got stronger as the game went on. He loved the game and he had really perfected his position. Ravens fans should glowingly remember Boulware as one of the best they will ever see.
Next: 7. Haloti Ngata
7. Haloti Ngata
Haloti Ngata was traded away to the Detroit Lions this past offseason but he will always be a Raven in our hearts. The Ravens drafted Ngata in 2006 with the 12th overall pick. Ngata was a wise investment for the Ravens because he was unlike any player at his position…ever. A young Ngata was the perfect blend of size, power, speed and quickness. It was impossible for offensive tackles to keep in front of Ngata sometimes. Ngata also had his way inside against guards and centers because he was stronger and more explosive than they were. Ngata is on this list because he is a freak of nature that did incredible things for the Ravens.
With 282 tackles, 25.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries and 5 interceptions Ngata was a big playmaker. Ngata will always be a fan favorite in Baltimore. Ngata showed a calm and gentle personality despite being so ferocious on the field. He was a huge 335 pound man but he moved with an elegance and he actually had decent hands. A Ngata interception is a great highlight.
Ngata will always be loved in Baltimore. This affection was eternally sealed the moment he broke Ben Roethlisberger’s nose. Ngata was special.
Next: 8. Derrick Mason
8. Derrick Mason
The number one receiver on this list is Derrick Mason because his contributions to the Ravens cannot be forgotten. In six seasons with the Ravens he had 471 receptions for 5,777 yards and 29 touchdowns. He had to put up with below average quarterback play from Kyle Boller and Troy Smith. He got one great season with Steve McNair (his long time Titans teammate) before going back to horrific quarterback play. Despite the inadequacy at the quarterback position, Mason produced very solid numbers.
Mason played a very integral part in Joe Flacco’s coming of age. He took a leadership role on the offense that aided the young Flacco tremendously. One of the most memorable Mason moments is the final game in the Cowboys old stadium. The Ravens won convincingly and Mason battled through pain the entire game. He was tougher than any receiver the Ravens ever had…well it may be a tie with Anquan Boldin.
The Ravens got a lot out of Mason and Mason got a lot from the Ravens. He got a chance to prove to the Titans and everybody else that he had a lot more in the tank than anyone imagined. Mason proves people wrong, that’s what he does. Consider for example that in the miserable 2007 season where Boller and Smith both got to be awful quarterbacks, Mason had a career high 103 receptions. Mason stepped up to the moments when the team needed him the most.
Next: 9. Ray Rice
9. Ray Rice
I am not condoning the actions that got Ray Rice essentially kicked out of the NFL; in fact we’re not even going down that road. Rice was a great player for the Ravens and we are allowed to remember that. Rice in fact was one of the most important figures the team will ever have. The former Rutgers star played a huge role on the offense getting involved on the ground and as a receiving threat. Rice had a unique skill set that made him a defensive coordinator’s nightmare.
“Hey diddle diddle, Ray Rice up the middle” we all know what joyous fun I am referring to. It was fourth down and the Ravens had to convert to keep the game alive against the San Diego Chargers. Oh and an important detail here is that the Ravens needed 29 yards to get that miraculous first down. Flacco dropped back and dumped it to Rice in the middle of the field. With an entire defense chasing him, Rice somehow weaved his way to the first down in one of the most memorable plays of all time. That ended up being a crucial win in the Ravens Super Bowl winning season.
The Ravens cannot forget the impact Rice made. On the football field he was everything the Ravens needed him to be. That is all I will say about this controversial player.
Next: 10. Anquan Boldin
10. Anquan Boldin
The Baltimore Ravens have so many great players in their 20 years in Baltimore that Anquan Boldin almost didn’t make the list. Think about that for a second, the Ravens have been that good. Boldin was a huge part of the Ravens Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers (ironically the team he now plays for). Boldin is a big bodied receiver that gave the Ravens toughness, heart and talent at the wide receiver position.
My favorite Boldin moment was one of his shortest gains. In the Super Bowl, Flacco audibled from a running play to a quick pass out to Boldin. He threw a perfect back shoulder pass and trusted that the big receiver would haul it in for the first down. That one play symbolized everything that Boldin was about. He was tough, dependable and clutch. Boldin was a spark plug for the Ravens offense, when they needed excitement he provided it.
Next: Baltimore Ravens: 3 Options for 6th Overall Draft Pick
As I said, there are so many amazing Ravens that this list was hard to make. Here are some honorable mentions, that drew my consideration for this list: Todd Heap, Jamal Lewis and Marshall Yanda.