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.
Wide Receiver: Michael Jackson
Now we’re talking early Baltimore Ravens and not about dancing to “Man in the Mirror.” The Ravens’ Michael Jackson finished his career in Baltimore. He started his career in Cleveland and was one of the players who moved with the former Browns franchise. In the inaugural season of the Ravens he had 1,201 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was the Ravens’ best receiver in the two years Vinny Testeverde was the quarterback.
The Ravens were never known for the wide receiver position. An honorable mention has to go to Quadry Ismail (One of my favorite old school Ravens). It’s a little like the quarterback position. There were only a few very good ones and the obvious names weren’t underrated.
Tight End: Daniel Wilcox
Daniel Wilcox was basically what Nick Boyle is now for the Ravens. He was a serviceable player who caught some passes but kept a roster spot for being a blocking tight end. Wilcox was a do it all tight end for Baltimore. Wilcox never lit up the box score but he caught the ball when his name was called. He was on the receiving end of Joe Flacco’s first touchdown pass. Kind of like Wright, a memorable moment served him in getting on this list.
The tight end position was the hardest one to pick an underrated player for. The Ravens have a long line of beloved tight ends. Todd Heap, Shannon Sharpe, Mark Andrews and Dennis Pitta are the first ones to come to mind. Dallas Clark, Benjamin Watson and Owen Daniels didn’t fit the billing for this. Ed Dickson is a good one, but Wilcox played for the Ravens longer. Dickson has also had his best years outside of Baltimore.
Boyle was in the running for being the definitive underrated tight end. The problem is that Boyle gets a lot of love for being so essential to Baltimore’s unique offense. Greg Roman makes blocking tight ends a prized asset. Wilcox did the dirty work for the offense but didn’t get nearly the same level of recognition.
Offensive Line: Jared Gaither
Here’s a fun Ravens fact for you, Jared Gaither was the Ravens only supplemental draft choice. Gaither was a quality offensive tackle. He started 28 games for the Ravens from 2007-2009. He had the impossible job of filling in for the retired Jonathan Ogden. He wasn’t J.O. good, but he got the job done. Injury derailed his career and he never got back on track. In a short time, Gaither made a good case for being a top five offensive tackle in Ravens history. When he was healthy, he was rock solid.
Defensive Line: Corey Redding
When you think of Ravens defensive linemen a lot of names come to mind. Michael McCrary and Rob Burnett, Haloti Ngata, Trevor Pryce and a handful more of extremely recognizable names. Corey Redding is one of the best defensive linemen you probably don’t have automatically on your list.
That’s the point. In two years with the Ravens he had 69 total tackles, seven and a half sacks and an interception. That interception by the way was a game winning pick against the New Orleans Saints in 2010. Redding is another underrated player with a big moment in a classic Ravens game.
Outside Linebacker: Jarret Johnson
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If there is a player who defines what an underrated player is, it’s Jarret Johnson. Johnson never gets talked about the way that Terrell Suggs, Peter Boulware and even Elvis Dumervil do yet Johnson was a big time player. I wouldn’t be shocked if a lot of Ravens fans would put Johnson below Jamie Sharper.
Sure, he wasn’t the elite play-maker of the high star powered defenses he was on, but he was a constant. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata will always get credit for being the core players of those defensive units. Johnson was the one who set the record for the most consecutive starts in Baltimore.
He wasn’t just a run stopper. He had 28.5 career sacks and he also forced 11 fumbles. He happened to be the best run defending outside linebacker you could ask for, but he was more than that. Johnson wasn’t the flashiest player, but he was a true franchise great. Johnson is appreciated but it’s doubtful that the casual fan really understands how good he was.
Inside Linebacker: Daryl Smith
Being the linebacker directly after the Ray Lewis era is a good way to be underrated. Darryl Smith was never going to be compared favorably to a player who has a statue outside of M&T Bank Stadium. We still need to talk about how strong Smith’s performance was in Baltimore.
He played three years in Baltimore and had three years with over 100 tackles. He had nine sacks as a Raven and picked off five passes as well. Smith was a great linebacker for the Ravens. He had just as much talent as C.J. Mosley and he had a lot more experience to draw on.
Smith played 13 years in the NFL. The Ravens got a small chunk of his production near the end of his career. Smith ended up with 1,002 tackles, 30.5 sacks and 12 interceptions. Those numbers aren’t dramatically different than those of Ray Lewis. Lewis had 1,084 total tackles, 41.5 sacks and 31 interceptions. Smith is one of the greatest Jacksonville Jaguars of all time and is one of the best linebackers of his generation. He’s not number 52 but his production was in a fairly similar level. The fact that he isn’t thought of more highly is downright confusing when you think about it.
Cornerback: Jimmy Smith
Look, Jimmy Smith has never received enough praise from Ravens fans. He is one of the most polarizing players the Ravens have had. Those who get it, understand that he has been a rock star of a cornerback for a long time. The Ravens drafted Smith in 2011 and he’s still with the Ravens. What does that tell you? He’s always been very valuable to this defense. 329 tackles, 14 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns are the key numbers he has to put up.
Where does Smith rank among the best cornerbacks in Ravens history? He’s on pretty even footing with Chris McAlister as the best cornerback the franchise ever had. Duane Starks would be in that conversation if he spent his whole career in Baltimore. Marlon Humphrey may eclipse Smith’s elite status, but he’s still on his first contract. Smith has been putting in good work on a yearly basis.
The games that Smith has missed has led to a lot of frustration. That frustration warps the perception of Smith for some fans. If Smith wasn’t good, his absence wouldn’t have been so painfully noticeable in those games. Smith gets more vitriol for getting hurt than any player you’ll ever see. If Smith had good luck, his career would be thought of the same way that McAlister’s career is remembered.
Safety: Kim Herring
Do me a favor. Name the 11 starters of the 2000 Ravens defense. Did you forget a name? Who was the strong safety? It was Kim Herring. Herring was a good strong safety. He had 52 tackles in his rookie season and was good for 50-60 tackles just about every season. In the 2000 season he had three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack. He even intercepted a Kerry Collins pass in Super Bowl XXXV. He did more than you probably give him credit for as you look back at that time of Ravens football. Herring is very comparable to what Chuck Clark is now. That’s a good perspective to think about Herring’s contributions to the team.
If you’re looking for special teams players, the Ravens have no underrated stars here. Justin Tucker and Matt Stover are recognized as two of the best kickers in NFL history. Sam Koch, Dave Zastudil and Kyle Richardson are notably good punters. Jermaine Lewis and Jacoby Jones are very beloved return specialists. I couldn’t really call any of them underrated which is a compliment to the special teams we’ve seen in Baltimore.