Baltimore Ravens: Top 10 wide receivers in franchise history

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 23: Torrey Smith #82 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after he scored a 25-yard touchdown recpetion in the second quarter against the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 23: Torrey Smith #82 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after he scored a 25-yard touchdown recpetion in the second quarter against the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – AUGUST 21: Mark Clayton #89 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled during the preseason game by LaRon Landry #30 of the Washington Redskins at FedExField on August 21, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – AUGUST 21: Mark Clayton #89 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled during the preseason game by LaRon Landry #30 of the Washington Redskins at FedExField on August 21, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) /

Who are the top 10 wide receivers in Ravens history? Here are my picks:

When you’re talking about Baltimore Ravens wide receivers, you’re not talking about the position the franchise is known for. The Ravens have had some good receivers, but this list is much more top heavy than our top 10 linebacker list or our top 10 defensive backs rankings. Before we get into the list, let’s give out some honorable mentions. Travis Taylor almost made the list. He was a bust as a top 10 pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. He didn’t live up to his draft position but he is seventh all time in receiving yards in franchise history. Marquise Brown is going to end up on this list, maybe even near the top. At the moment it’s a bit too early to include him. Brandon Stokley was also considered.

All Stats for this post were collected from Pro-Football-Reference.com

10. Mark Clayton

Mark Clayton wasn’t that bad of a wide receiver. He was traded away after the 2009 season. Clayton had some good moments in Baltimore. My favorite Clayton play was a long touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs to start the 2009 season. Clayton was a speedy receiver who you may be surprised to hear is the fourth leading receiver in franchise history.

Clayton was drafted as a first round pick in 2005. He wasn’t a first round caliber player, but he was better than you think he was. One could make the argument that the Ravens gave up on Clayton too soon. He was always involved in the offense during his tenure in Baltimore. Clayton’s lowest number of receptions was 41 as a member of the purple and black.

Clayton had some drops. The most notable drop came against the New England Patriots on what would have been a late game fourth down conversion. It was a regular season game in 2009, it wasn’t quite a Lee Evans level moment, but it’s memorable in all the wrong ways. Clayton was surely better than most fans will give him credit for but he certainly was not a superstar.