The Baltimore Ravens Greatest Hits At The Linebacker Position
In addition to having the greatest linebacker of All-Time in Ray Lewis, 20 years of Ravens football has seen some incredible linebackers. The Ravens have always been known as a defensive minded team. Lewis was the face of the franchise and the energizer of the defensive dominance. There was a lot of greatness at the linebacker spot, it wasn’t just Ray Lewis.
From pass rushing outside linebackers, to run stuffing inside linebackers the Ravens have a pretty impressive record in the second level of their defense. From Super Bowl XXXV to after Super Bowl XLVII, the Ravens have always been fueled by their physicality. It starts with head-hunting linebackers who can make plays in the backfield.
Let’s look at the top 10 players ever to be a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. This hard hitting list is sure to leave you sentimental about all the great Ravens defenses of the past. It’s pretty obvious who is at the top of this list, so we’ll count down from 10.
Next: 10. C.J. Mosley
10. C.J. Mosley
Only two seasons into his NFL career, Mosley has a chance to move up significantly on this list. Mosley is an athletic linebacker who is a textbook tackling machine. The 6’2″ 234 pound linebacker is one of the best young players the Ravens have. He was a day one starter. Now that Daryl Smith is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mosley needs to take the next step towards greatness.
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Mosley is primed to be the leader of the Ravens defense. He has had 175 tackles and seven sacks thus far in his NFL career. Mosley is the modern linebacker. He can do it all, he isn’t just a player who just stuffs the run. Mosley is an every down linebacker that can do it all.
Mosley has a lot of time to move up on this list. His experience is what puts him at the tenth spot. In ten years, I suspect Mosley will be one of the top 5 linebackers the Ravens ever had.
Next: 9. Adalius Thomas
9. Adalius Thomas
Adalius Thomas was one of the most dynamic players the Ravens ever had. In his career Thomas played for the Ravens and the New England Patriots. He racked up 517 tackles, 53 sacks, seven interceptions and 15 forced fumbles. His best season in Baltimore was in the 2006, when he had 11 sacks, one interception and even scored a safety. From 2004-2006 was the peak of his career. In that time frame he had 28 sacks and four interceptions.
Rex Ryan called his defense with an enthusiasm of a little kid. Thomas was Ryan’s favorite action figure, because he could do anything. Thomas could cover, he could blitz and he could set the edge in run defense. Thomas was often used as a quarterback spy against mobile passers. The Ravens even lined him up at cornerback once, which to this day may be the most unique thing I have seen on the football field.
Thomas was an exciting player. His career may have ended with the Patriots, but he had his best years in Baltimore.
Next: 8. Jamie Sharper
8. Jamie Sharper
Jamie Sharper was one of the members of the 2000 defense. He was an important part of the historic defensive unit. He played for the Ravens from 1997-2001. He had 14 sacks wearing the purple and black. He also played for the Houston Texans and the Seattle Seahawks. In nine seasons in the NFL he had 854 tackles, 25.5 sacks and two interceptions.
Sharper had an iconic play in Super Bowl XXXV. When Ray Lewis tipped a pass, it went right to Sharper. Sharper was a tackling machine, which was a huge part of the Ravens dominance on the ground. Sharper was a defensive play maker.
Sharper was part of the early days in Ravens history. He was one of the players that helped the Ravens become champions in just their fifth season.
Next: 7. Darryl Smith
7. Daryl Smith
Daryl Smith played with the Ravens from 2013-2015. He was one of the most dependable players on the Ravens roster. He was a tackling machine and a leader for the Ravens defense. Smith stepped into the Ravens inside linebacker position, in the first year we didn’t have Ray Lewis.
Smith was a very solid player for the Ravens who made some big time plays. He was a good veteran for C.J. Mosley to learn from. He set an example and led the defense from square one. The Ravens only cut him to create desperately needed cap space.
He may only have played three seasons with the Ravens but he did a great job. The Ravens thought they may be able to re-sign him for a low cap hit, but the Buccaneers swept him off the open market.
Next: 6. Bart Scott
6. Bart Scott
Bart Scott is such a Ravens type of player. He was physical, he had a swagger and he had a ton of heart. Scott was a very good linebacker for the Ravens. Scott was an undrafted player who played his College Football at Southern Illinois. The Ravens signed him in 2002, and he played with the team until 2008. He signed with the Jets to play for Rex Ryan.
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Bart Scott had 732 tackles in his career. One of his 25 sacks was an iconic blow to Ben Roethlisberger. I have a picture of that take down hanging on the wall. Anybody who can deliver that kind of punishment to the Steelers quarterback is good in my book.
Scott’s best season was in 2006 when he had 103 tackles and 9.5 sacks. He was selected to the Pro Bowl that season. He had become a star as an undrafted free agent.
Next: 5. Jarrett Johnson
5. Jarrett Johnson
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There are two reasons why Johnson cracks the top 5. First his longevity, having a record number of starts for the Ravens is amazing. Secondly he is everything “Play Like A Raven” means. This tough and gritty linebacker was a constant force on the Ravens defense. Johnson had 506 tackles, 25.5 sacks, three interceptions and 11 forced fumbles in his career.
Johnson was not the amazing pass rusher that you’ll plenty of in the next four spots on this list. But he was an all around player who got some sacks and consistently stopped the run. Johnson was one of the most reliable players the Ravens ever had. You never worried about his ability to get the job done.
Johnson should be inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor. He gave everything he had to the game of football and the Ravens. Johnson is a class act who should be remembered as one of the great Ravens of all-time.
Next: 4. Elvis Dumervil
4. Elvis Dumervil
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We have to thank a fax machine for the ability to sign Elvis Dumervil. Without that outdated piece of technology, Dumervil may have never played for the Ravens. Dumervil is one of the most prolific pass rushers in the NFL. In 2014, Dumervil had 17 sacks which tied his career high. Dumervil is four sacks away from his 100th.
Dumervil played for the Denver Broncos from 2006-2012. For the last three seasons he has been with the purple and black. In those three seasons he has had 32.5 sacks. With another strong season or two, Dumervil will make a serious case for an even higher ranking.
He is one of the best playmakers the Ravens currently have. Dumervil is an excitingly explosive player who makes offensive tackles have miserable days.
Next: Peter Boulware
3. Peter Boulware
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Peter Boulware was one of the greatest pass rushers I have ever seen. He was an explosive freight train on a one way stop to the quarterback. Boulware, who was drafted in 1997, was the Ravens first great pass rusher. He was a four time Pro Bowl player. He was the 1997 defensive rookie of the year and he is in the Ravens ring of honor.
He had 403 tackles and 70 sacks in a career shortened by injuries. If it were not for injuries in the second half of his career, Boulware may have put up some historical numbers. He had three seasons with 10 or more sacks. The peak of his career was his 15 sack performance in 2001. He was a dominant player through 2003, after that the injuries caught up to him.
Boulware is a Ravens legend. He was part of the 2000 Ravens defense, a group that many people believe to be the greatest of all time. Boulware was one of the best players in a historic group of players.
Next: 2. Terrell Suggs
2. Terrell Suggs
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Terrell Suggs is an incredible player. Suggs has been with the Ravens, since he was drafted in 2003. He has been a superstar player. He came into the league as a pass rusher who had to grow into the outside linebacker position. Now he is one of the best all around players the NFL has off the edge.
Suggs has put up some historical numbers. He has 106.5 career sacks. When you add on his 728 tackles and seven interceptions you see how significant Suggs is from a historical perspective. Suggs has had double digit sacks in six different seasons. Not counting the two seasons where he missed almost the entire season injured, the least sacks he has had in a year is 4.5.
Suggs is one of those players that you will remember forever. He is the perfect mix of tenaciousness, heart and personality. Suggs is a legend just like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.
Next: 1. Ray Lewis
1. Ray Lewis
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This was obvious since you could argue that Lewis was the greatest football player ever. He is without a doubt the best Ravens player of all-time. Lewis was the heartbeat of the Ravens from 1996-2012. He walked off into the sunset after winning his second Super Bowl championship.
Lewis put up incredible numbers. He had 1,336 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 31 interceptions and 17 forced fumbles. Ray Lewis had 13 seasons with 100 tackles or more. He had at least one sack in ever season except for 2002.
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The Ravens have had some pretty incredible linebackers. None of them compare favorably to the greatest linebacker in the history of the game. Number 52 was everything to the Ravens as a franchise. There is a reason his statue stands outside of M&T Bank Stadium.