Taken in the third round (86th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft from Iowa, Marshal Yanda entered the league with a blue-collar work ethic and a rugged, physical playing style. While left tackle Jonathan Ogden set the gold standard for Baltimore line play in the 1990s and 2000s, Yanda stepped in to become the unquestioned engine of the Ravens' front five throughout the 2010s, cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant interior guards in modern football history.

Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 305 pounds, Yanda utilized precise hand placement, explosive core power, and a fierce competitive edge to dominate the line of scrimmage. Mainly playing at right guard—briefly filling in at right tackle during injuries—he excelled at stopping interior pass rushers with a solid anchor and used persistent leg drive to open B-gap lanes in Baltimore's power run plays.

After securing a starting role in his 2007 rookie season, Yanda faced a severe multi-ligament knee injury in 2008 but managed to improve his performance to an elite level. His standout period started in 2011, when he was first chosen for the Pro Bowl as the offensive line created running lanes for Ray Rice and led Baltimore to the AFC Championship Game. During the 2012 postseason, Yanda anchored the interior of an offensive line that allowed minimal pressure, powering the franchise to a Super Bowl XLVII victory.

His personal peak occurred around the middle of the decade, when Yanda earned First-Team All-Pro honors in consecutive years (2014 and 2015), establishing himself as the top guard in the league. Even after switching from right guard to left guard in 2016 because of team injuries—and playing much of that season with a torn shoulder labrum—he maintained an impeccable record, not allowing a single sack or quarterback hit throughout the year.

Yanda upheld his exceptional standard into the later years of his career. Acting as the experienced leader for a young Lamar Jackson, he achieved his seventh and eighth Pro Bowl nominations in 2018 and 2019. He finished his career by paving the way for the 2019 team, which set the NFL record for single-season rushing yards with 3,296 yards.

After retiring following the 2019 season, Yanda, who spent all 13 of his professional years with Baltimore, tied Jonathan Ogden for the most regular-season games played by an offensive lineman in franchise history at 177. Including playoffs, his total of 191 games set a franchise record for linemen. Inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor in December 2022, Yanda's path to Canton is seen as inevitable, as he has been a multiple-time finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.