The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the most successful franchises since entering the NFL in 1996, with two Super Bowl victories since their creation. To go with their success, they've had a plethora of iconic and highly successful players. Here's who I think would form the Ravens Mount Rushmore.
Ray Lewis, LB
This should come as no surprise. Ray Lewis is widely regarded as the best and most productive player in Ravens history, and easily one of the best defenders to ever play in the NFL. He was the captain of countless elite Ravens defenses, striking fear into opposing offenses. He was a 2-time Super Bowl Champion and was awarded MVP in Super Bowl XXXV.
Lewis was a 7-time first-team All-Pro and made second-team All-Pro an additional 3 times. He was also selected to 13 Pro Bowls and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2 times. The accolades go on and on, resulting in his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2018.
Ed Reed, S
Similarly to Ray Lewis, Ed Reed being here should not be a shocker. Reed was one of the most electric play-makers the NFL had ever seen. His ball-hawking instincts in the middle of the field created nightmares for opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators, leading to 64 interceptions which sits at the 7th most of all time.
Along with the 64 picks, Reed has the most interception return yards in NFL history at 1,590, with 7 of them going for pick-6s. He's a Super Bowl champion, 5-time first-team All-Pro, 3-time second-team All-Pro, 9-time Pro Bowler, and he led the league in interceptions 3 different times. He was also the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Jonathan Ogden, T
The first Raven ever drafted, the first Raven to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ogden has to be here. Ogden's production was tremendous. In his 12-year career, Ogden made the Pro Bowl 11 times, was first-team All-Pro 4 times, and second-team All-Pro 5 times.
He's a Super Bowl champion and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Ogden was the model of consistency for the Ravens throughout his entire career and was the perfect selection to start the franchise by Ozzie Newsome.
Justin Tucker, K
The last spot on my Mount Rushmore is easily the toughest, but I'm sticking with Justin Tucker. Tucker is the most talented kicker to ever play in the NFL, and I don't think it's much of a discussion. He has the highest field goal percentage in NFL History and he's the only player with a percentage over 90%.
He also made the longest field goal in NFL history a couple of seasons ago, hitting from 66 yards away. He's a Super Bowl champion, 6-time Pro Bowler, 5-time first-team All-Pro, and 3-time second-team All-Pro in 11 seasons with the Ravens.
Tucker already has a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, but all signs point towards him adding to that with his continuous stellar play. And although kickers generally don't make the same impact as other positions, Tucker continues to make a huge difference with his consistent play and late-game heroics.
Honorable Mentions
Terrell Suggs, OLB
Suggs was the hardest player for me to keep off the list. He was one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL throughout his career and was a mainstay in many great Ravens defenses. He finished with 139 career sacks, slotting him in at 8th all-time (Since 1982 when sacks became an official stat).
He won 2 Super Bowls, one with the Ravens and one with the Chiefs. He also won Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, was a one-time first-team All-Pro, one-time second-team All-Pro, 7-time Pro Bowler, and won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003.
Jamal Lewis, RB
Jamal Lewis is one of the most underrated players in NFL History, and he just missed out on the Ravens' Mount Rushmore. The main distinguishing factor between Jamal Lewis and the other players listed was the time he spent in Baltimore.
Lewis spent 7 years with the Ravens but only played for 6 years after missing the 2001 season with an injury. But during those seasons, Lewis was unreal. He won a Super Bowl in 2000, won Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, and also made his only first-team All-pro. He's the best running back in Ravens history and racked up the most rushing yards and touchdowns in franchise history.