Ravens: 4 players who could pull a Shohei Ohtani and play both ways

1. Patrick Ricard, FB –> DL, Ravens

This is the one you were waiting for. The most obvious candidate for this list, and partially the inspiration behind it, Patrick Ricard might be the only true two-way player in the NFL today.

If anything, Ricard might just be the Shohei Ohtani of the entire NFL, let alone the Baltimore Ravens.

Ricard got his start as a defensive lineman where he racked up numerous honors as one of the best defensive tackles at the FCS level.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t enough to garner him national attention as many believed he lacked the athletic traits needed to make it in the NFL as a full-time defensive tackle.

He went undrafted in 2017 and shortly after signed on with the Ravens. The coaching staff made the decision to give him some reps at fullback and he would go on to beat out both Lorenzo Taliaferro (RIP) and undrafted rookie Ricky Ortiz for a roster spot.

Ricard was primarily used as a fullback, but saw time as a reserve defensive lineman on defense as well. He played 38 snaps on defense as a rookie and then 47 in his second NFL season.

The Massachusetts native received his most playing time on defense in 2019 where he played a whopping 140 snaps (14 percent of the team’s defensive snaps) on defense even recording his first career sack — a strip-sack of Ryan Finley that resulted in a Tyus Bowser touchdown.

While the Ravens opted not to use him on defense in 2020, Ricard remains one of the only active NFL players with experience playing both sides of the ball at the professional level.

He’s more than just a Pro Bowl fullback. Patrick Ricard is the NFL’s lone two-way player.

There is no more obvious choice for the “Shohei Ohtani of the Ravens” than Ricard.