Baltimore Ravens
Greatest Player: Ray Lewis
There are few linebackers in the history of the game that are in the same category as Raw Lewis. Few played the game with more passion and intensity, and that’s a big part of what made Lewis a steal for the Ravens in the 1996 Draft, making him the team’s second-ever draft pick. Most viewed Lewis as a little bit small for an inside linebacker, which is why he was only the fifth linebacker taken that year.
But he proved people wrong, going to 13 Pro Bowls in 16 seasons, becoming a 10-time All-Pro and being one of the few defensive players to ever be named Super Bowl MVP. That’s on top of being the league’s Defensive Player of the Year twice.
Baltimore Ravens
Runner-Up: Ed Reed
Ed Reed went on to play in nine Pro Bowls after being selected 24thin the first round of the 2002 draft. Reed has been called one of the top five NFL safeties of all-time. He was a feared defensive back and was another reason the Baltimore Ravens’ defense was so good for years.
Reed spent 11 years with the Ravens and helped the team become one of the best AFC teams during that time.
Baltimore Ravens
Challenger: Lamar Jackson
There are still plenty of detractors who will scoff at the idea that Lamar Jackson could assume the mantle of the greatest player in the history of the Baltimore Ravens, but it’s hard to say that anyone in team history — including the great Ray Lewis — was as singularly dominant as Jackson was during the 2019 NFL season.
In just his second season in the NFL, Jackson combined for 43 total touchdowns, leading the Ravens to a league-best 14-2 record. He’s almost certainly going to win the league’s MVP award, and given that he just turned 23 years old, it’s not hyperbolic to say that the sky is the limit for his production.