It would not take long for Torrey Smith, whom the Ravens chose 58th overall in the second round out of Maryland, to make an impact for the club. Operating as Joe Flacco's primary deep threat across four seasons, Smith possessed the raw acceleration to stretch boundary coverages and generate explosive chunk plays downfield.

Smith's primary asset was his 4.43 track speed. Used predominantly on post routes, go routes, and deep comebacks, he was lethal at taking the top off defensive coverages. His pure speed also made him one of the most prolific pass-interference drawers in the league, consistently forcing opposing cornerbacks into recovery fouls on underthrown deep balls.

Smith made a remarkable start as a rookie in 2011, making history as the first NFL player to catch three touchdown passes of over 40 yards in a single quarter during a game against St. Louis in Week 3. He wrapped up his first season with 50 catches, 841 yards, and seven touchdowns. The following year, in 2012, he enhanced his stats with 855 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. One of the season's highlights was his six-catch, 127-yard, two-touchdown game against New England, which came just hours after the heartbreaking loss of his younger brother. During the 2012 postseason, Smith recorded 11 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns across four playoff games, including two receptions for 35 yards in Baltimore's 34–31 victory over San Francisco in Super Bowl XLVII.

Smith recorded his best overall statistical season in 2013, catching 65 passes for a career-high 1,128 receiving yards while averaging 17.4 yards per catch. In his final year in Baltimore (2014), he adapted to Gary Kubiak's offense by becoming a specialized red-zone target, hauling in a career-high 11 touchdown receptions on 49 catches.

Following the 2014 season, Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ers. As a Raven, Smith played in 64 regular-season games and 8 playoff games, recording 3,591 receiving yards, 30 receiving touchdowns, and a 16.9 yards-per-catch average.