Unlike most expansion franchises that came into being in
the last few decades, the Baltimore Ravens have set themselves apart as an
exceptional drafting team. Two Super Bowl teams and a host of contenders have
been built on the back of wise decisions from both Ozzie Newsome and Eric
DeCosta.
The
Ravens have landed some of the best players in franchise history with premium
draft picks, but Baltimore has also become known for finding some gems later
in the draft. Be it tremendous scouting or just plain old good luck, the Ravens
have been the proving ground for some of the best in the game.
These
players all stand out as the biggest eight steals in Ravens NFL Draft history.
Baltimore only started drafting in 1996, and their list of steals far
outnumbers teams with a few extra decades of experience. This solidifies
Baltimore as one of the best drafters in the business without question.
8. P Sam Koch (No. 203
overall, 2006)
While
it might be unfair to put a punter here, as they are so rarely picked before
the end of Day 3, nabbing a high-end starter for 15 years with
a pick often used on players who get cut after the preseason makes this a solid
move. The former Nebraska star is the greatest punter in team history.
Koch
averaged 45.3 yards per punt for a Ravens team that won a Super Bowl in 2012
and challenged for many others along the way. Jordan Stout will have quite a
ways to go if he wants to break all of the records Koch managed to set during
his very productive career with the Ravens.
7. OG Edwin Mulitalo
(No. 129 overall, 1999)
The
powerful guard from Arizona was added for some extra depth at the turn of the
millenium, but it didn't take long for Mulitalo to work his way into the
starting lineup. Mulitalo was the starting left guard for the 2000 Super Bowl
winning team, and his career with the Ravens didn't stop there.
Mulitalo
was a frequent starter in Baltimore until 2006, after which he joined the Lions
for two more seasons. With 102 starts, a 2,000-yard rusher in Jamal Lewis that
did a lot of his damage running behind him, and a championship ring, Mulitalo
is still one of the best guards the Ravens ever had.
6. Matt Judon (No. 146
overall, 2016)
While
it's hard to call a fifth-round pick risky, taking a pass rusher from Division
II Grand Valley State certainly qualifies. Judon helped validate the Ravens'
trust in his ability, as he spent the next few years as one of the team's more
reliable starters before moving to the Patriots in free agency.
By
the end of his Ravens career, Judon turned his fifth-round status into 34.5
sacks, multiple big plays in the postseason, and two Pro Bowl nods during his
five years with Baltimore. Even with him thriving in New England, Judon
put together a quality career in Baltimore.
5. Adalius Thomas (No.
186 overall, 2000)
Before
Judon, the former Southern Miss star signed with the Patriots in 2007 after
seven seasons with the Ravens. In that seven-year span, Thomas put up gaudy
numbers as a productive pass rusher on some lethal Ravens defenses in the early
2000s.
Thomas
recorded 38.5 sacks in seven years with the Ravens, capping his tenure off with
an All-Pro season in which he amassed 83 tackles, 24 quarterback hits, and 11
sacks. While Thomas was solid in New England, the last two years of his
Baltimore tenure were clearly the best two seasons of his career.
4. Mark Andrews (No. 86
overall, 2018)
Andrews had some doubters despite a fantastic career at Oklahoma.
Due to how he was used, many wondered if his inability to become a high-end
blocker would overshadow his amazing receiving skills. With Andrews heading
into 2024 as a featured passing option yet again, it seems as though he's doing
just fine.
Andrews is already third in Ravens
history in receiving yards,
and there's a chance that he could surpass Todd Heap and Derrick Mason atop
their all-time list in the 2024 or 2025 seasons. Lamar Jackson's MVP seasons
have both been made easier by Andrews' presence over the middle.
3. Marshal Yanda (No. 86 overall, 2007)
Pick No. 86 has been kind
to Baltimore, as Yanda went from Iowa to a starting role with the Ravens almost
immediately. By the end of his 13-year career, Yanda piled up so many accolades
that some will wonder if he ends his football journey with a gold jacket and a
bust in Canton.
Yanda has eight Pro Bowls
and seven All-Pro teams (two First-Team) in his career, choosing to retire on
top after another All-Pro year at age 35. Yanda started more games (166) than
the combined number of NFL games played between the next four players picked
after him (155).
2. Lamar Jackson (No. 32
overall, 2018)
Sometimes,
a first-round pick can be a steal, especially when you're the fifth quarterback
taken in your draft class. While major busts like Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen
floundered with their teams, Jackson put together a six-year stretch that is
among the best any quarterback in NFL history has ever had.
Jackson has two MVPs to his name and
he's turned the Ravens into a perpetual contender. It was tough watching
Jackson sit there as interior offensive linemen and strong safeties were picked
ahead of him, but Baltimore had enough foresight to realize what he could be in
the NFL.
1. Ray Lewis (No. 26
overall, 1996)
Likewise,
if you manage to draft the greatest linebacker in NFL history after busts like
Tim Biakabatuka, Rickey Dudley, and Alex Molden were picked above you, that
counts as a steal. The Ravens pulled off one of the greatest drafts in NFL
history in their first such affair, as they snagged Lewis and Hall of Fame
tackle Jonathan Ogden with consecutive picks.
With
12 Pro Bowls, 10 All-Pro teams, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and
two Super Bowl rings, Lewis' career with the Ravens can't be equaled by any
linebacker in NFL history. The Ravens' ethos as a defense-first franchise was
due to Lewis setting the tone when he arrived in Baltimore.
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