Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Baltimore Ravens.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Ravens again made it to the playoffs and boasted the league MVP in Lamar Jackson.  They did not make it to the Super Bowl, but there was significant movement with two new names and five elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Ray Lewis
2. Ed Reed
3. Jonathan Ogden
4. Terrell Suggs
5. Marshal Yanda

You can find the entire list here.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson, who added his second MVP, moves up to #6 from #10.  With another good year, Jackson should be able to overtake Yanda to enter the top five.

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey edged up two spots to #21.

Offensive Tackle Ronnie Stanley moved up to #26 from #38.

Tight End Mark Andrews rose to #32 from #35.

The first debut is Linebacker Roquan Smith, arguably the best defensive player on the Ravens roster going into 2024.  He has not been with Baltimore for long but has already had two First Team All-Pros as a Raven.  He debuts at #41.

Now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cornerback Patrick Queen reached #42 from #46.

The second new entrant is Defensive Tackle Justin Madubuike, who was a Pro Bowl Selection for the first time comes in at #43.

Please note that Kicker Justin Tucker remains at #9.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

In 2018, Roquan Smith was the 8^th Overall Pick in the 2018 Draft, with the Chicago Bears as his landing spot.  Smith had a great run in the Windy City, but after he failed to negotiate a contract extension before the 2022 season, he wanted a way out.  Smith continued to dominate on the field, but with the Bears knowing that he wanted out, he was traded to Baltimore midway through the 2022 season, where he became an instant dominant player in the interior.

Smith, already considered one of the best inside linebackers before he was traded, accelerated his game and finished his season as a First Team All-Pro, which was the first time he had ever done so.  Smith tasted the postseason for the first time, and in 2023, Smith had his best year in the NFL, adding his second straight First Team All-Pro, where he had his first taste of Defensive Player of the Year votes.  Last season, Smith again had a 150-plus tackle year and was a First Season All-Pro for the third year in a row.

The Baltimore Ravens’ (as of this writing) brief time with Roquan Smith is one of the most impressive brief stints in franchise history.

2024 Pre-Season Rank #62, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #92, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #133, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #146.  Peak Period: 2020-24

Smith was a Second-Team All-Pro for two years in a row (2020-21), but as good as he was, the Bears were not, and Smith and Chicago became disenchanted with each other. Chicago traded Smith to the Ravens during the season, and it started the best run of his career. 

In the year he was traded (2022), Smith had career highs in Combined Tackles (169) and Solo Tackles (103), and was rewarded with his First Team All-Pro.  Smith has since followed that with his second and third First Team All-Pro, and his domination of the middle has continued the stellar reputation of the Baltimore defense.

He enters the 2025 season with a four-year streak of at least 150 Tackles and is on a Super Bowl contender.  A fourth First Team All-Pro and a ring will catapult his chances, and we won’t bet against the one-man heat-seeking missile.