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Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Regrading the 2022 NFL Draft
PFF honors Ravens legends in a way that perfectly captures their dominance
Baltimore is in a class of their own.
By Matt Sidney | May 19, 2025
The Baltimore
Ravens have had tons of talented players rock the purple and black in the
franchise's 30 seasons as a member of the National Football League. From Hall
of Famers and All-Pros to breakout stars and draft-day gems, this is a team
that’s built its identity on finding value and turning talent into culture.
Pro Football Focus' Jonathon Macri reinforced that point with its
latest All-2000s roster, a list highlighting the best players of the past
25 seasons. The roster wasn’t assembled based on name recognition—although the
names are pretty recognizable. It leaned on PFF’s game-by-game grading system,
identifying the highest-performing players since 2000.
And what do you know? The Ravens showed up big time, placing five
players on or around the list—more than every other team not named the New
England Patriots, and further proof that Baltimore knows how to scout, develop,
and sustain greatness as well as anyone.
Five Ravens
players make PFF's All-2000s team
Derrick Henry | Running
Back
It only took one season in Baltimore for Derrick Henry to vault to
the top of PFF’s running back rankings. His 2024 campaign was the best-graded
of his career, and per Macri, it gave him the highest career PFF grade
(96.8) of any RB in history. Henry averaged a ridiculous 6.0 yards per
carry and led the league in rushing grade (93.5), powering an offense that
scored a franchise-record 62 touchdowns. Henry parlayed his success into
a two-year, $30 million deal this offseason.
Marshal Yanda | Right Guard
Across 13 seasons in
Baltimore, Yanda defined consistency and dominance. His 93.6 career PFF grade
makes him the only guard to rank top-five in overall, run-blocking, and
pass-blocking grades. He allowed one sack over his best pass-blocking season
(2016) and was never below a 72.2 grade for a single year. Simply put: a wall.
Ray Lewis | Linebacker
Though Lewis’ career began before PFF’s full grading system,
his dominance still shows up in the data. His 91.4 overall grade in 2009 was
the best among linebackers that season and remains tied for the third-highest
of all time at the position. Lewis remains the Ravens’ emotional cornerstone.
Lewis is a Hall of Famer and widely regarded as the best linebacker in the
modern era.
Ed Reed | Safety
Like Lewis, Ed Reed only played part of his career under PFF’s
lens, but what they captured was special. His 93.4 coverage grade in 2009 was
the third-best ever for a safety, and his 19.3% forced incompletion rate ranks
second among all safeties graded since 2006. You didn’t throw his way unless
you liked to live on the edge. To no one's surprise, Reed is in the HoF with
Lewis, a fitting ending for a duo that terrorized opposing offenses for years.
Eric Weddle | Saftey
(honorable mention)
While he made the list as an honorable mention, Weddle was
deservedly included in the exercise. He may not have played his whole career in
Baltimore, but his three-season stint from 2016–2018 was incredibly productive.
He earned three Pro Bowl nods and anchored a top-tier defense with smarts,
consistency, and elite communication. He remains one of the most respected
veterans the Ravens ever signed.
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