Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

[Tecahl]

Discuss.

[brayTxiv]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

IMHO, Ray is in the top 5 when it comes to best of all time. 10-Pro Bowls, 6-Time All-Pro, 2-Time AP defensive player of the year, and SB MVP are just some of the accolades Ray has racked up during his career. Heres my top 5[ The Real LT, Dick Butkus, Ray Lewis, Junior Seau, and Jack Lambert.

Honorable mention: Bobby Bell, Sam Huff, Willie Lanier, Jack Ham, Mike Singletary, Derrick Thomas

[mKoz26]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

IMHO, Ray is in the top 5 when it comes to best of all time. 10-Pro Bowls, 6-Time All-Pro, 2-Time AP defensive player of the year, and SB MVP are just some of the accolades Ray has racked up during his career. Heres my top 5[ The Real LT, Dick Butkus, Ray Lewis, Junior Seau, and Jack Lambert.

Honorable mention: Bobby Bell, Sam Huff, Willie Lanier, Jack Ham, Mike Singletary, Derrick Thomas

Lol @ Juniou Seau. Big reach there.

[Fox1994]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Ya, Singletary and Thomas are both better than him. He's good, but he's not on that level.

[brayTxiv]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Lol @ Juniou Seau. Big reach there.

Your kidding me right? 12 Pro Bowls and 6-Time first team All-Pro. Voted to the pro bowl 12 straight years. 1,826 career tackles, 56.5 sacks, and 18 ints(shows you he is a great all around linebacker who can stuff the run, pass cover, and sack the QB). Can you actually explain why he doesn't belong on this list.

[burnwood]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Junior Seau definitely belongs. The man performed all his career.

However my vote goes to Ray. Different outlets tally tackles differently. But if we're counting, Yahoo gives Ray 1255 (solo) tackles to Seau's 1070.

What we can count is INTs and Sacks. Ray has 28 INTs and 33.5 sacks. An absolute MONSTER when he's on, and can actually hurt your best player(s) for a whole season. I'm old enough to have seen Singletary play, but I think Ray surpassed him already in terms of pure football play.

[SPTO]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

I'd say Lewis is definitely top 5 in the last 30 years.

[CW McGraw]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Junior Seau definitely belongs. The man performed all his career.

However my vote goes to Ray. Different outlets tally tackles differently. But if we're counting, Yahoo gives Ray 1255 (solo) tackles to Seau's 1070.

What we can count is INTs and Sacks. Ray has 28 INTs and 33.5 sacks. An absolute MONSTER when he's on, and can actually hurt your best player(s) for a whole season. I'm old enough to have seen Singletary play, but I think Ray surpassed him already in terms of pure football play.

I'll agree that Ray has passed Singletary. Even Ditka will admit Singletary was a liability in coverage. Ray is just too good at every aspect of the game.

[Vince]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

SMH at the Seau hate.

He was a murderer on the field...HOF no doubt.

[z Revis]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Lol @ Juniou Seau. Big reach there.

You must've not watched football back when Seau was in his prime.

[Aggies7]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Ill say Top 5.

[Gibbz]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

Top 3, IMO. I'd put him slightly behind LT but ahead of Butkus.

[elgreazy1]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

If you're talking about MLB's, I'd say he's definitely top 5 material... maybe even top 3, but if you say "all LB's" he's probably still in the top 5-10 still.

[Dice]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

I've never seen Butkas play but I would say that Lewis is probably the best MLB I've seen play. Singletary and Seau where the other two great MLB I've seen play. Singletary might have been smarter than Lewis BUT not by much. What makes Lewis better is that he was much more gifted physically than Singletary. If Singletary had the size and ability of Lewis then we would be disscussing on why Singletary is the best MLB ever to play the game. As for Seau, the only thing Seau has on Lewis is speed. Everything else, Lewis beats him hands down.

Now as far as overall LB, Lawrence Taylor is still the best LB I've seen play. Lewis remains second. What makes Taylor better was he was better at taking over games than Lewis. Taylor in his prime was a freak athletically. He was no doubt a great pass rushers BUT he was excellent in coverage and he could stuff the run. There hasn't been many LB who were great in pass rush, coverage and against the run. There might have been a few who were good in all three BUT Taylor was great. Lewis is great against the run but only good in pass rushing and maybe great in coverage. Taylor was still better than Lewis in pass coverage.

[JBH3]

Re: Where does/will Ray Lewis rank amongst the greatest linebackers ever?

He's a top5 MLB...arguably top3.