Top 15 best draft picks in Baltimore Ravens history
By Justin Fried
10. Adalius Thomas, OLB, Ravens (186th overall – 2000)
If you’re looking for arguably the greatest late-round draft pick in Ravens history, look no further than Adalius Thomas. Thomas is perhaps the most versatile player the Ravens have ever had (sorry, Patrick Ricard).
Originally drafted as a defensive end, Thomas was a do-it-all chess piece in the Ravens’ defense playing everywhere from defensive line to linebacker to even some snaps at cornerback and safety.
Altogether, Thomas played seven years in Baltimore racking up a unique stat sheet that included 38.5 sacks, six interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, 58 tackles for loss, and three total touchdowns.
On a defense that also featured the likes of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, Thomas was a force in his own right. Given that the Ravens drafted him just 13 picks before Tom Brady, he deserves to crack the top-10.
9. Peter Boulware, OLB, Ravens (4th overall – 1997)
That legendary 2000 Ravens defense had a number of important pieces, but few were as integral to the team’s success that year as Peter Boulware.
Boulware was the first truly great pass rusher the Ravens had. Through his first seven seasons, Boulware racked up 67.5 sacks and, at the time of his retirement in 2005, was the team’s all-time sack leader.
He lacks the longevity of others on this list as injuries eventually caught up to him, but from 1997 to 2003, Boulware was one of the most important players on a stacked Ravens team.
A member of the Ravens’ Ring of Honor, it’s safe to say that Boulware lived up to the hype of being the fourth overall pick.