ESPN Insider just put up a story with their top ten list of the most versatile players in each of the two conferences. Since it is posted on a pay-service site, we were lucky enough to have one of the SB Nation bloggers send it out to us and now can give it to you.
The Baltimore Ravens would seem to have more than a few versatile players on their roster, and there was one guy listed in the top ten for the AFC. Was it RB Ray Rice, who led the NFL in all-purpose yards in 2011? Nope. What about Ed Reed, who can pretty much do anything he wants? Nope.
Lardarius Webb, who is an under-rated cornerback and also a decent punt returner? Nope.
Terrell Suggs, reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who can play LB, dropping into the flat or put his hand in the dirt and rush the passer as good as anyone in the game? Nope.
(Click on the 'Jump' to read more and see who ESPN Insider picked from the Ravens)
Joe Flacco? No. Torrey Smith? No. Bernard Pollard? No. Ray Lewis? No.
Stop guessing already. It's DT Haloti Ngata. The huge defensive tackle, who also lines up as a defensive end, can plug the run, rush the passer, drop into coverage, run down running backs and wide receivers, and then lead Ray Rice through a hole down at the goal line as a blocking fullback.
Here's what the ESPN Insider article said about him:
For a big man, he has surprising athletic ability and movement skills. He plays defensive end in their base 3-4 defense, although he can occasionally line up at nose tackle, and he slides to DT in their 4-3 nickel package on passing downs. What is really surprising is that he can occasionally line up wide to get a better matchup in space, and he can even drop into coverage on those zone blitzes that the Ravens like to run. He also has the ability to line up as a blocking FB in a goal-line situation on rare occasions.