It was tough, if not impossible, to go any direction but down when the franchise’s first two draft picks in 1996 were Hall of Fame left tackle Jonathan Ogden and future Hall of Fame inside linebacker Ray Lewis.
The Ravens have put together A-plus draft classes for many years under General Manager Ozzie Newsome and, more recently, Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta. They’ve rightfully gained a reputation for being one of the best in the business, master craftsmen in evaluating and picking college talent.
However, over the past several years, the Ravens haven’t hit on any Ogdens or Lewises, leading to some local media and fan rumblings about the team’s recent success rate.