These are the most underrated Baltimore Ravens of all time at each position group:
Quarterback: Anthony Wright
Anthony Wright wasn’t a great quarterback. He had his moments and happens to be my favorite Ravens quarterback outside of the ones who obviously worked out (Steve McNair, Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson). Wright started just 14 games for the Ravens all in 2003 and 2005. He won seven and he lost seven. Again, Wright wasn’t a great quarterback. There were a lot of bad quarterbacks in Ravens history and Wright probably didn’t get enough of an opportunity. Say what you want about him but he wasn’t worse than Kyle Boller.
The biggest reason I have a soft spot for Wright is that he orchestrated the 17 point comeback against the Seattle Seahawks. He had 319 yards and four touchdowns in the 2003 overtime win. It truly was a top 10 moment in Ravens history. No matter what, Wright was a part of at least one special moment. The man was magic on that day. Wright was never supposed to be the guy, but he had some undervalued talent.
Wright may not be a star but who else should I put on this list? Flacco was the best quarterback in Ravens history and nobody is really disputing that. Vinny Testeverde wasn’t unappreciated so it’s hard to call him underrated. Chris Redman could get an honorable mention here. One thing for sure is that it wasn’t going to be Elvis Grbac or Tony Banks. The purple and black have shuffled through some of the worst quarterbacks the NFL has seen. Most of the quarterbacks that even come to mind weren’t overrated or underrated but rather correctly remembered.
Running Back: Willis McGahee
Willis McGahee was one of the most underappreciated running backs in NFL history, not just for the Ravens. He had 8,474 yards and 65 rushing touchdowns in his career. McGahee had almost 10,000 all purpose yards in his 11 years in the league and he missed his entire rookie season to injury. McGahee played for the Ravens from 2007-2010 and was one of the key figures of the early Flacco era. In 2008 he was part of a special running back trio with Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain (McClain was technically a fullback).
The 2007 season wasn’t forgettable for the Ravens but it wasted some incredible production from McGahee. McGahee had 1,207 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, making him a smooth replacement for Jamal Lewis. The Ravens were a natural fit for McGahee, who had a great stiff arm and a tough running style. In 2008 he rushed for over 600 yards. His production dipped as he had to share carries in the backfield, yet he was a very valuable asset to the offense.
When you talk about great running backs from the Ravens’ past, it’s too often just a conversation about Lewis and Rice. McGahee needs to be the third name and he must be included in the conversation. When the Ravens got McGahee he was a star running back. He became a role player and that’s why he probably is so underrated.
Fullback: Sam Gash
Sam Gash was a fullback for the Ravens from 2000-2002. He wasn’t a stat producer, he was a blocker. Gash was part of some very good Ravens teams, including the one that won Super Bowl XXXV. Jamal Lewis gets the credit but Gash and the offensive line have to be given their due. Gash was a football smart fullback with an unlimited supply of toughness. He’s an old school Raven and an old school fullback.