Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Determining where Haloti Ngata ranks among all-time Ravens

Haloti Ngata leaves the Baltimore Ravens with the distinction of being the best defensive lineman in franchise history.

Ngata was often described as a game-wrecker, from that surprising 60-yard interception return in his first game to the couple of fourth-down goal-line stands in his final season. The only Ravens' defensive lineman who collapsed the middle as often as Ngata and struck as much fear was Sam Adams, who only played for the Ravens for two seasons.

The bigger debate is figuring out where Ngata ranks among the Ravens' all-time great players. Any such list has to start with linebacker Ray Lewis at the top of it and offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden and safety Ed Reed right behind. I put Ogden at No. 2, although many argue Reed is the second-best player in team history.

When looking at No. 4, it's between running back Jamal Lewis and linebacker Terrell Suggs. Both were named the NFL's top player on their side of the ball during their careers (Lewis won Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 and Suggs received Defensive Player of the Year in 2011), and Ray Lewis and Reed are the only Ravens who achieved this. The nod goes to Jamal Lewis, who carried the Ravens' offense for years when it had no quarterback or wide receivers. The Ravens don't win their first Super Bowl without Lewis and that record-setting defense.

Ngata comes in at No. 6. He was considered the best defensive lineman in the game before Ndamukong Suh entered the league in 2010. His combination of brute strength and rare athleticism for his size allowed him to dominate up front, where he proved to be the foundation of the team's run defense for nearly a decade. Since his first season in 2006, the Ravens allowed six fewer rushing touchdowns than anyone else in the NFL and limited teams to 92.5 yards rushing per game (second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers).

Other players who could be considered for No. 6 are kicker Matt Stover, cornerback Chris McAlister, tight end Todd Heap and guard Marshal Yanda. But none could beat Ngata's body of work, which includes five Pro Bowls, five All-Pro honors and one Super Bowl title.

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