Baltimore Ravens All Time Greatest Draft
by Mr MaLoR on Apr 23, 2009 8:49 AM EDT
Email
PrintWith the Ravens 14th year being a part of the NFL Draft coming this weekend, I thought it be nice to share with every Ravens fan who I think are our all time greatest picks in each round of the draft. Since coming into the National Football League in 1996, the Baltimore Ravens have cemented themselves as one of the elite organizations at trandsceding college standouts into top-notch professional players. No matter what round or what pick it may be, Ozzie Newsome, Eric DeCosta and the rest of our front office have had unheard of accomplishments in creating "football players." This is our rounds one through seven all time greatest draft picks that have wore the beloved purple and black. Lets break it down.
- 1st Round: LB, Ray Lewis - Miami, 1996: It is safe to say that the Ravens are the best in the league at not missing on their first round picks. As hard as it is for many of us to make the pick it here, I think it is a no brainer that Ray Lewis deserves this honor. Over his 13 year career, all with Baltimore, Ray has recorded 1625 tackles (1245 solo), 33.5 sacks and 28 interceptions. Not only is Ray one of the best Linebackers to ever play the game, but he is arguably the best Middle Linebacker to ever play the position. The face of our franchise and our leader of this team. Ray has solidified his spot in Canton with 2 DPOY awards and Superbowl XXXV MVP. This organization is not where it is today without the selection of Ray Lewis and he will always have a place in our hearts.
- Runner-Ups: Jonothon Ogden, Peter Boulware, Chris McAlister, Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Joe Flacco
- 2nd Round: LB, Jamie Sharper - Virginia, 1997: Sharper played a very important role in our 2000 defense being considered one of the best of all time. Jamie was a solid tackler and was able to clean up the tackles that Ray could not get because of the double teams that others put on him. Sharper went on to have a some what successful season on the expansion team, Houston Texans when he was taken in the expansion draft.
- Runner-Ups: Kim Herring, Anthony Weaver, Chris Chester, Ray Rice, Adam Terry
- 3rd Round: QB, Chris Redman - Louisville, 2000: With the 3rd round considered being a rather high pick, it is strange that we have not had too many players make contributions like Redman did. The Ravens have not drafted in the 3rd round 5 out of 13 years, so that could be a reason. Redman gets the edge hear because he did QB our offense to some solid wins and was the QB when Todd Heap was a pro bowl player. Redman is actually one of the all time passing leaders in NCAA Div.1 football history believe it or not. I did not want to give the spot to Tavares Gooden or Tom Zbikowski, yet. I feel Gooden will turn out to be our best 3rd round selection disregarding what we do in the draft this year. This is a spot that can be debated.
- Runner-Ups: Musa Smith, Casey Rabach, Marshal Yanda, Tavares Gooden, Tom Zbikowski
- 4th Round: LB, Edgerton Hartwell - Western Illinois, 2001: Jason Brown and Jarret Johnson could be argued here but Brown did not have enough time in purple to show us he deserves this spot and Jarrett has yet to put up numbers that Hartwell did. So be it, Ed Hartwell is one of the most overlooked Ravens ever. It may be because he had a drastic fall off once leaving Baltimore, but Ed was able to perform at a high level for the Ravens during his time here. Very good tackler and played next to Ray Lewis very well.
^Very Close 2nd^: Le'Ron McClain: Had a break out season last year with putting up pro bowl numbers and being a huge piece in moving our offense into scoring positions. In a few more years, Le'Ron should be taking Hartwell's spot.
- Runner-Ups: Jarret Johnson, Jason Brown, Bradon Stokely, Edwin Mulitalo, Le'Ron McClain
- 5th Round: WR, Jermaine Lewis - Maryland, 1996: A lot of us will make a case that Dawan Landry deserves this spot and he will take over one day as well. But Rayisyourdaddy had me change my original choice of Jeff Mitchell, stating "In 6 years with us, he had 16 recieving TD’s, and 1983 receiving yards, including 2 years with around 700 yds and 6 tds. He also had 3200 kick return yards and 2750 punt return yds and 6 punt return td’s. And in 320 combined kick and punt returns, he only had 12 fumbles."
- Runner-Ups: Jeff Mitchell, Ovi Mughelli, Dawan Landry
- 6th Round: DE, Adalius Thomas - Southern Mississippi, 2000: In 2006, Adalius Thomas was considered to be the best all around defensive player in the league. A freakish athlete that literally played every position on the field in Rex Ryan's chaotic defense. Thomas was drafted out of college in 2000 as a Defensive End and transferred over to one of the games premier Outside Linebackers. Was a stud on Special Teams and made pro bowls in that position. When his name was called, he stepped up to be a dominating OLB. A great Raven, a mediocre Patriot.
- Runner-Ups: Chester Taylor, Sam Koch, Haruki Nakamura, Derrick Anderson
- 7th Round: DE, Dwayne Missouri - Northwestern, 2001: You are asking yourself, Who? Well, there are not really any guys that I even remember playing on the Ravens that were 7th round picks. If any of you got some, tell me. But the only reason I put him here is because he was a feature on our HBO series, "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens." Did it for a laugh. He never amounted to anything, so don't get too worked up over this round. Nothing really here.
- Runner-Ups: N/A
- Undrafted Free Agent: OL, Mike Flynn - Maine, 1997: Bart Scott is a runner-up here in my opinion because Flynn is one of the all time great Ravens. Started in 115 games of 134 played. A great piece in our offensive line and a reliable guy to snap the ball. Just an all-around great person and great Raven. Screw Bart Scott.
- Runner-Ups: Bart Scott. Priest Holmes
- Supplemental Draft: OL, Jared Gaither - Maryland, 2007: Filling in for the best Left Tackle of all time, Jon Ogden is very tough to do. But Jared Gaither has stopped us from worrying about Flacco's blindside. The man is bigger then Ogden is and works with J.O during training camp nearly every practice. I see great things to come from this young man.
- Runner-Ups: N/A
Thanks for reading if you got this far. This is my favorite part of the Off-Season and it is going to be a really exciting weekend. Go Ravens!
25 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Cute Idea
Malor, cute idea, but i think you made some major gaffes. Hartwell was a good, almost pro-bowl level player for us for 3 years with us before he faded into oblivion. He is now on the Raiders. I personally believe that Mclain is better than him, hartwell being a product of playing next to Ray. But even more so i think Jason Brown has to be the #1 player for that round. Although he has no pro-bowls, he has been a starter on the o-line for 2 years at 2 different positions, and was the leader this past year.
Even more so, i think the 5th round choice is incorrect. Mitchell was good for us, but the same reason you didnt pick Brown is the reason you shouldnt pick Mitchell. He was only with us for 3 years. Another reason is the phenomenal play of one of the teams most dynamic weapons of our Super Bowl team: Jermaine Lewis. Without him, our dismal scoring would have been significantly worse. In 6 years with us, he had 16 recieving TD’s, and 1983 receiving yards, including 2 years with around 700 yds and 6 tds. He also had 3200 kick return yards and 2750 punt return yds and 6 punt return td’s. And in 320 combined kick and punt returns, he only had 12 fumbles. Figurs has that many fumbles in one season (i think). Maybe these numbers will change your mind. On Ravens teams with lackluster offenses, he got us better field position and was a burner at WR. The current Ravens team could use a guy like him. Unfortunately figurs just hasnt been what we drafted him to be………Jermaine Lewis.
by Rayisyourdaddy on Apr 23, 2009 12:01 AM EDT reply actions
Cute??
Nice choice of words in a football blog.
These are just my opinions, and I wanted to cause some sort of a debate to get comments going. I agree in a way with you about Jermaine. He was a very key part of our offense and we most likely do not get a Superbowl victory without his return abilities. Glad you brought it up and found those numbers, they are very impressive for a guy who was considered too small to play NFL WR. But I remember distinctively watching Mitchell during the Superbowl year and was always impressed at how he handled his man.
As for Hartwell, that is just where I stand. I loved the way he played and he was one of my favorite Ravens at the time. He put up some very good numbers playing next to Ray and was indeed a product of Ray Lewis. But, so was everyone else basically, besides Sharper. Rayisyourdaddy, the 4th round pick was the hardest one for me. I was in a dilemma between Brown and Hartwell. Maybe it is just the bitterness of Brown leaving this year, I don’t know. And I think Le’Ron needs another year like last year to take the spot. I just did not want to give it to someone who has shown his abilities for one year.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
I'll actually go ahead and change it just for you
Cause those numbers are very impressive, thanks again for bringing it up.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
One change and one HUGE omission
I’d still pick McClain over Hartwell, because as good as Hartwell did in the typical shadow of Ray, he never panned out in Atlanta, mostly due to injuries but also due to no Ray Lewis to garner all the attention (“he stole my tackles” was a familiar cry from Edge).
The HUGE omission was the Undrafted category, where you forgot all about RB Priest Holmes.
Also surprising were the number of rounds hwere there really wasn’t anyone to note and the ones where there was but the Runner-ups were pretty average. Ozzie usually finds a great future star, but just like everyone else, he does find some duds.
Rexx
Good call on Priest
But he was only able to stay healthy for one season for the Ravens, which was his only good year with us. 1,008 yards and 7 touchdowns in 1998. He then missed 7 games the next season, with only starting 4. Then got overshadowed by a Jamal in 2000. I will put him in runner-ups though.
And I made this for what these guys did as Ravens, not for other teams. That is where the picks like Hartwell are being mistaken. And I am not ready to give the spot to Le’Ron McClain after one good year. It was a hell of a season, getting 11 TD’s, but I need him to do it again and show us that he really is a great ball carrier.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Does anyone else think its strange that Chris Redman is our best 3rd round selection so far?
I thought this would be more argued, but there is really no one else that had somewhat of success as Chris did for the few years he was the starting QB.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Rabach is better IMO
Got a big contract and started for a while in this league. Also, T Good will be at the top soon.
Yanda
I think Yanda has already done more for us in 2 years then Redman did his whole career.
Devard Darling, Musa Smith, Figurs, David Pittman, Casey Rabach, Jay Graham, are the other choices. We have traded out of the 3rd round altogether 5 times. Interesting.
Seems that, due to our success drafting good players in the 4th and 6th round, we should trade our 3rd rounder for a 4th and a 6th or 2, and dont bother with picks in rounds 3 and 7. Lol!
by Rayisyourdaddy on Apr 23, 2009 10:58 AM EDT reply actions
Haha
Yea, I think we enjoy either getting another 2nd for our 3rd or draft twice in the 1st round of day 2 aka the 4th round. Maybe Ozzie looks at it as “These are the guys who are borderline 1st day – 2nd day guys.” So maybe he feels he can grab them in the 4th? No clue what the theory is behind us not picking in the 3rd most years. Strange
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
7th Round 2004 Brian Rimpf
Only guy I can think of. Started about half the season for us on the O line in 2005. Was off the team in 2007. Hey, was Missouri the guy on Hard Knocks who Ray and Sirigusa thought the guy had talent but he got really homesick, quit camp and went home to mama? I remeber everybody trying to talk the head case into staying.
My Own Take
For first round I have to put Ray and JO as tied for first. Yes, Ray (got) gets more press, but without JO, Dilfer never wins a Super Bowl. Ravens have had success when Ray was injured, but whenever JO went down, we suffered greatly on offense. For years, I argued he was our most valuable offensive player (maybe even on the whole team), even more so than Jamaal back when we had him. JO was the best ever to play his position -very few people would argue that. Outside of his first two and last two seasons, he never needed help and never got beat, never -just does not happen.
For the second round I think Ray Rice will surpass Sharper, but for now, in April of 2009, I agree with Sharper. If we revisit this in a year, that may well have changed.
Third round: meh; toh-may-to, toh-mah-to… Gooden and “Tommy Z” have potential.
Sorry, have to disagree with the 4th round. McClain. Not even close. Even if he never steps onto a football field again. One could argue that without McClain, Flacco gets crushed because nobody would have respected our running game. I would say, without McClain, no way we go all the way to the AFC championship game. Him and Reed are my offensive and defensive Ravens players of the year for 2008.
5th, 6th and everything else I agree with.
I gree about McClain
Flacco got the attention but McClain put up the better rookie season in my mind. Without McClain busting it up, Flacco is on his backo. (Oh god that is terrible….). Without a creditable run threat, Flacco never even gets the chance to perform at the level he did, and who knows…maybe he gets shell shocked instead of easily transitioned into the QB responsibility like he was. I don’t think anyone could make the argument that the Raven’s staff didn’t bring Flacco along perfectly. But without McClain, I don’t think it works out nearly as well.
"When they get drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, we expect them to play like that. Are we surprised? No."
by UMBC Oriole fan on Apr 23, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Mclain the rookie? Lol
Dude, Leron was drafted 2 years ago, same year as Grubbs, in the 4th round. He had a decent rookie year as just a blocker, and then he progressed into a pro-bowler. But we have some other solid RB in Willis and Ray, and without them Flacco also would have pressure on him. I do not think you can give all the credit to Leron.
Hartwell had 3 years of in which he totaled 329 tackles, 8 pd, 4 ff, 1 int, and 6 sacks. Those numbers are comparable to Ray Lewis, who in those 3 years had 364 tackles,13 pd, 4 ff, 8 int (1 td) and 2.5 sacks. It is also just as good as Bart Scott’s last/best 3 years, in which he totaled 278 tackles, 14 pd, 2 ff, 2 int, and 13 sacks. He was also playing in the years when we didn’t have very good DT’s. I think the numbers defend Malor’s selection of Hartwell over Mclain and Brown.
Malor:
Please post the stats to defend your position.
Player A: 278 tackles, 14 pd, 2 ff, 2 int, and 13 sacks
Player B: 329 tackles, 8 pd, 4 ff, 1 int, and 6 sacks.
Player C: 364 tackles,13 pd, 4 ff, 8 int (1 td) and 2.5 sacks
Player A is Bart Scott in 06-08, B is Hartwell from 02-04, and C is Ray Lewis from 02-04
No one can argue with the numbers!
Who said he was a rookie?
And having the stats here is fine. Thanks for posting them
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Yahoo's greatest picks of all time picks Lito Shep over Ray-Ray
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=nfldrafttheaughtsbestfir&prov=tsn&type=lgns
A few Ravens players mentioned, but they selected the Lito Sheppard pick instead of Ray-Ray. Mind boggling? Eli is picked as best No.1 overall pick. The writer’s name is Vinnie, so …
He only evaluated the last nine drafts.
Ray Lewis was drafted in 1996. That’s why he didn’t make the list.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SB Nation on YouTube
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Jonathan Vilma sues Roger Goodell for defamatory statements made during bounty investigation
- New York Giants receive Super Bowl XLVI rings
- Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring can be yours, unfortunately
- The Shutdown Corner Interview: New York Giants DL Justin Tuck
- AFL quarterback misses game to attend wedding
