Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

**DynastyBeast** · 02-21-2015, 04:35 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Ravens History Part I
(2011-2012, Title Hopes)

2011: The Ravens go 12-3-1 and win the AFC North. Ray Rice rushes for over 1200 yards. Ray Lewis records 123 tackles and Cary Williams intercepts 6 passes They face the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round. Flacco throws for 258 yards, Lewis records 14 tackles as the Ravens head to the AFC championship. In the AFC Championship, the Ravens face the Steelers. This is a classic matchup as the Ravens are down 13-10 with less than two minutes left but Joe Flacco leads the two minute drill down and Ricky Williams scores from 3 yards out to seal the game. The Ravens face the Detroit Lions in Super Bowl 46. Joe Flacco throws for 278 Yards and 2 touchdowns as the Ravens edge the Lions 23-19. The Super Bowl 46 MVP is Dennis Pitta who had 8 Catches for 98 Yards and 2 Touchdowns. In the offseason, Ray Lewis announces his retirement. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Running Back Ricky Williams also announces his retirement. The Ravens are unable to resign Anquan Boldin and he signs with Denver for a two year contract. Outside linebacker Jarett Johnson also left the team. The Ravens don’t make many big moves in free agency as their key signing is Ladanian Tomlinson. The Ravens have a successful draft however. They trade up to pick number 19 to draft cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick from Alabama. Kirkpatrick would become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. This would cost the Ravens 2012 first round draft pick however. They drafted guard David DeCastro number 32 overall. DeCastro was never able to crack the starting lineup but his versatility was key as he got lots of playing time at all five positions. He would leave the Ravens after the 2016 season signing a 5 year $27 Million dollar contract with the New Orleans Saints. The Ravens other notable draftees include Ryan Broyles, Cort Dennison, and Joe Adams. Broyles was a decent receiver but would never become a star. Dennison was a solid linebacker and had a 87 tackle season. Joe Adams was the main kickoff return man.

2012: The Ravens 2012 campaign didn’t go as planned. They failed to make the playoffs after winning the super bowl the previous year. Dre Kirkpatrick shined in his rookie year picking off 6 passes. Ray Rice had a really good year on the ground. Also, Torrey Smith had another good season. The Ravens entered the offseason with little cap space and having to resign some key players. Joe Flacco signed an NFL record 7 Year/$100.7 Million dollar deal. Ben Grubbs also signed a 5 Year/$32 Million dollar deal as he would stay with the Ravens for a long time. Dennis Pitta signed a contract with the Washington Redskins and would have 81 catches the next season. The Ravens had a very poor 2012 draft class. The key player drafted was right tackle Jazz Young. Young had amazing potential early on but he suffered many injuries and failed to progress as planned. Their fourth round draft pick was decent as well. Tavares Broomfield was an outside linebacker who never became a starter but was a really good reserve. Young would sign a 5 Year/$24 Million dollar contract with the Denver Broncos in 2016.

**DynastyBeast** · 02-21-2015, 04:36 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Ravens History Part II:
(2013-2014 Ed Reed/Ray Lewis Era ends)
2013: In 2013, many younger players took bigger roles with the team. Pernell McPhee had a 10.5 sack season. Torrey Smith had a big year. The Ravens secondary was really good in 2013. Dre Kirkpatrick, Lardarius Webb, Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard and Jimmy Smith formed one of the best secondaries in the NFL. Ed Reed led the way with 6 interceptions. Ray Rice had a monster year on the ground with 1330 yards and 18 touchdowns and was in the MVP conversation. Jameel McClain recorded 118 tackles and made a pro bowl appearance. The Ravens finished the season with a 12-4 record but they did won the division. They defeated the New York Jets 24-13 in the divisional round. They went on to face the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game. This was a close game. The Colts had the lead 17-14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter but Flacco would hook up with Ed Dickson on a 43 Yard pass to take the lead 21-17. But Peyton Manning would lead his team down the field connecting with Austin Collie on an 18 yard touchdown pass. The Ravens offense failed to score and would not get the ball back and the Colts would go on to win the Super Bowl over the Atlanta Falcons.

Ladanian Tomlinson would retire at the end of the season. Ed Reed would return for one more year. The Ravens would make some changes at the end of the season. Cam Cameron was fired and Chuck Pagano would become the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. The Ravens brought in former San Diego head coach Norv Turner to be the offensive coordinator and former Redskins linebacker London Fletcher as the defensive coordinator. Then the Ravens shook up their team. They traded veteran cornerback Lardarius Webb in order to save salary to the Atlanta Falcons for young corner Ciante Young and a third round pick. The Ravens were able to resign Michael Oher, Jah Reid and Pernell McPhee. In free agency, the Ravens brought back veteran receiver Anquan Boldin. The Ravens didn’t have many needs entering the NFL Draft. This was a decent draft class. The Ravens first round pick is defensive tackle Jerel Law out of Oklahoma State. He was viewed as a best player available player and would be viewed as the future defensive tackle of the Ravens. The best pick of the draft however would be middle linebacker Angelo Sylve also from Oklahoma State. He would turn out to be a stud. The Ravens drafted two running backs in this draft class, Conor Gardiner in the third round and Exil Walker out of Alcorn State in the seventh round. Walker was a gem and he would turn into a solid back. The Ravens also drafted Poppy Mollete, Fullback/Tight End hybrid in the sixth round. He was drafted to eventually replace Vonta Leach but he placed Tight End for the first few years of his career.

2014: The Ravens had a disappointing 2014 campaign as they went 7-9 again. The Ravens struggled with injuries as Flacco, Dickson, Jazz Young, Marshal Yanda, Ed Reed, Pernell McPhee and Jimmy Smith all missed significant time. The Ravens defense declined severly. The secondary was beaten up as both Drew Asterino and Bernard Pollard struggled at strong safety. Ciante Young showed flashes but was inconsistent. Overall, the secondary had a down year. The bright spots on the defense were rookie linebacker Angelo Sylve and Terrell Suggs. Suggs went to the pro bowl recording 12 sacks and Sylve was in the conversation for rookie of the year as he recorded 76 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions. Offensively, Ray Rice remained reliable with a 1434 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns. The speedy rookie Exil Walker had 467 yards as he was the teams change of pace back. Torrey Smith earned the title of Mr. Consistent as he had another good season. The offensive line performed ok as well. The core of Jazz Young, Ben Grubbs, Matt Birk, Marshal Yanda, Michael Oher, and David DeCastro was really good. This was a tough season but in the offseason the Ravens began to form their new identity.
Head Coach John Harbaugh received an extension as his tenure with the Ravens was really good. Ed Reed retired after the 2014 season. He played his entire career with the Ravens and logged 64 career interceptions and would be inducted into the hall of fame. The Ravens philosophy in free agency was to sign veteran players to hold it down for a couple years until younger players were ready to replace them. The teams biggest needs were Free Safety, Strong Safety and depth pass rusher. In free agency, the Ravens signed veterans Tanard Jackson, Roman Harper and Michael Boley to two year deals. The Ravens had the 12th pick in the draft, the earliest pick since 2008. Ravens pro bowler Haloti Ngata was also drafted with the twelvth pick. The Ravens were looking at two free safeties to potentially be picked with their first round selection. One of them was chosen so that left Arron Bell out of Tulsa to be chosen. Bell would become one of the best safeties in the NFL. With the second round pick, the Ravens selected pass rusher Isikeli “Easy” Franklin out of Washington State. Franklin would become the pass rusher of the future. The third round selection was another great pick. The Ravens drafted running back Jordin Bledsoe out of SMU. Bledsoe possess great speed and elusiveness but also is a great receiver out of the backfield. In the sixth round, the Ravens found a gem prospect in Brandan Perry out of Penn State. He would spend the entire 2015 season on the practice squad but he his progression is amazing and would lead him to become a future starter.

**DynastyBeast** · 02-21-2015, 04:37 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Ravens History Part III
(2015-2016 New Core)

2015: The Baltimore Ravens returned to the playoffs in 2015. Torrey Smith had another great season. He had the best game of his career against the Pittsburgh Steelers where his clutch performance led the Ravens comeback. He finished the game with 8 catches for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ray Rice had another 1,000 yard season. Arron Bell had a good rookie season but he missed 6 games with an abdominal tear. The free agent signings all played well. Tanard Jackson led the Ravens with 5 interceptions as his ball hawking prescense was crucial in many games. Michael Boley led the team with 5.5 sacks. Roman Harper filled in for Arron Bell nicely including a 16 tackle game against the Browns. Joe Flacco had a good season, however he was injured in Week 14. However, the injury did not become public until after the season. His play after that struggled. The Ravens made it into the playoffs as a wild card team. They played the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round in a classic match-up. The game took place on a snowy day at Heinz field and featured no offense. In the first quarter, Tanard Jackson intercepted a pass and took it back to the Ravens 26 yard line. This lead to a field goal. The Ravens and Steelers would both kick field goals in the second quarter. Billy Cundiff added another field goal to extend the lead to 9-3 at the end of the third quarter. The Steelers began to drive and were able to take the lead when Tanard Jackson intercepted a pass in the red zone. This sealed the game and the Ravens were won 9-3. Joe Flacco struggled mightly in this game as he went 9-24 for 87 yards. However, the offensive line gave up six sacks. The Ravens went on to the divisional round to face the Tennessee Titans. Flacco threw three interceptions in the first half but the defensive performed admirably to keep it a 6-0 game. Flacco was replaced in the second half by back-up Josh Freeman. The team rallied under Josh Freeman and they were able to take the lead 7-6. However, Tennessee responded with a Jake Locker screen pass to Chris Johnson. The Ravens played better under Josh Freeman but he was unable to lead another touchdown drive. The Ravens were eliminated from playoff contention and the New England Patriots would go on to win the Super Bowl.

The Ravens reached the offseason. Lone time center Matt Birk retired at the age of 40. Torrey Smith got a 5 Year/$40 million contract to resign. The Ravens biggest needs were the offensive line and free safety. Jimmy Smith signed a 5 Year/$30 Million contract with the Jaguars. No significant moves in free agency were made. Kicker Mason Crosby was signed to replace Billy Cundiff. The Ravens were satisfied with filling their needs in the NFL Draft. This draft class was one of the best draft classes the Ravens had. In the first round, the Ravens moved up from #26 to #21 to draft Free Safety Hassan Glover out of Iowa. He will become a future star in the Ravens defense. The second round pick was right guard Bryce Schell out of USC. However, he would make the transition to Left Tackle in the NFL. The steal of the draft was Center Jason Oltmans out of the Citadel. He was a consensus third round pick but he slipped to the fifth round. Oltmans would become the starting center the following season. The gem of the draft class was quarterback Andrew Medlock out of Buffalo. The Ravens took a flyer on him and it paid off as he has elite arm strength and is viewed as a future starter by the Ravens organization. Not bad for a seventh round draft pick. The Ravens made several moves near the end of the offseason including signing middle linebacker Nate Irving and cornerback Omar Bolden. They also traded Michael Oher to the Cardinals for 2017 2nd and 3rd round pick. Finally, they signed undrafted free agent Trovon Ford out of Ohio State. Ford would have an amazing training camp and preseason and earn the starting RE job over Pernell McPhee.

2016: The Ravens would have another disappointing season in 2016. They started 7-4 but would lose their last five games to miss the playoffs. Ray Rice declined as he only rushed for 778 yards. The other backs pitched into the running game. Jordin Bledsoe had 735 Yards, Exil Walker would add 436 and 6 scores. Torrey Smith made another pro bowl appearance recording 1,132 yards and 10 touchdowns. The leading tackler on defense was Nate Irving who recorded 112 tackles and behind him was Angelo Sylve with 97. The pass rush struggled. One of the biggest X-Factors on defense was Arron Bell. Bell only had two interceptions but he forced six fumbles. That’s right, Six! Bell would be invited to the pro bowl along with Torrey Smith, Ben Grubbs and Haloti Ngata.

After the 2016 season, the Ravens made some changes. They had a mindset of “All In.” Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner would leave to become the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. London Fletcher would leave to join the Redskin as their defensive coordinator. Jim Harbaugh was fired by the 49ers. John brought his brother in to become his offensive coordinator. Mike Pettine became the next defensive coordinator. Anquan Boldin announced his retirement. The Ravens cut Jah Reid and Pernell McPhee to save $15 Million in cap space. They resigned Ben Grubbs, Terrell Suggs to one year deals. They also resigned Dre Kirkpatrick to a 5 Year/$50 Million contract. They entered free agency with a large number of cap space. They made a big splash in free agency. They signed former #1 pick Mario Williams to a 2 year/$20 Million deal. They brought in Charles Johnson in on a similar deal. They brought back Dennis Pitta and signed Owen Daniels to a two year deal. Jordy Nelson was also brought in to be the #2 reciever and Shane Vereen and David Hawthorne were given contracts as well. The Ravens had 15 picks in the NFL draft and had a huge draft day. They didn’t like any prospects when they were picking #13 so they traded down 4 spots. However, Montrell Roberts who was projected to go #31 was selected by the Seahawks. The Ravens didn’t have any needs so they went best player available. They settled on top 5 prospect Santiago Duvall. He is a left tackle which would allow Bryce Schell to move back inside to replace Marshal Yanda or Ben Grubbs when they retire. Other notable prospects who are expected to make big impacts are 4th round MLB Shamir Banks, 6th round tackle Travis Chapman and 6th round cornerback Latwan Kirk. The Ravens spent their second round pick on receiver Jorvante Haynes out of Florida. This was a luxury pick as Haynes has blazing speed. He ran a 4.26 in the draft combine. Haynes needs work but he can become an amazing slot receiver.

**DynastyBeast** · 02-21-2015, 04:38 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

New Era Part I
Early Round Studs (1st-Early 2nd)
This series will introduce the new stars of the Baltimore Ravens. There are 10 player profiles to view.

Arron Bell:

Bell was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Bell was raised in a military family as both of his parents served in the Navy. Bell started playing football from a young age and always played hard and gave it has all. He was always a sound tackler and that still holds true today. Bell played football and ran track in high school. By the time he was a senior, he didn’t have any offers so he decided to try to join the Navy like his parents. Then, one day that changed. Tulsa offered the one star safety a scholarship and his parents encouraged him to pursue his football career so he accepted. Bell was not redshirted and he played a lot as a freshman and had 24 tackles. His sophomore year, he took over the starting strong safety spot and led Tulsa to a bowl game. He had 83 tackles and 3 interceptions, enough to be named to first team All-CUSA. At the beginning of his junior year, he was on the Bronco Nagurski watch list. He recorded 97 tackles and 4 interceptions and forced 4 fumbles and became was named a first team All-American. He was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award Bell received considerable pro buzz after his junior year but he stayed at Tulsa to finish his degree. His senior year, he made 85 tackles, forced 3 fumbles and got an interception. He was a second team All-American and again was a finalist fort he Thorpe, Nagurski, and Bednarik award. After his senior season, he played in the senior bowl. He was injured in the senior bowl and did not participate in the draft combine. This may have pushed his draft stock down enough so that the Ravens could draft him #12 overall. Arron Bell moved his family to the suburbs of Baltimore and bought them a nice home. Bell participated in may charity events so far in his time with the Ravens.
Player Comparison: Kam Chancelor

Hassan Glover

Glover was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. As a child, Glover’s dad was not in the picture. He was in jail. Glover’s mother had a couple of jobs however. Hassan didn’t grow up with a lot of money. He started watching football when he was really young and he would watch it with his mother. His hometown team the Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996 so his family were Ravens fans. He grew up watching players like Peter Boulware, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reed. Ed Reed became one of his favorite players. Hassan’s mother let him play football in 3rd grade and he played quarterback and linebacker his first year. In fact, he continued to play quarterback until his junior season in high school. When he was in 7th grade, Hassan caught the eye of Coach Fred Childress. Childress coached a prestigious high school called St. Ignatius. Childress began to mentor him. Hassan told him that he wanted to be a safety. Money was tight but Coach Childress was able to get Hassan a scholarship. Hassan made the varsity team as a sophomore and he became the starting free safety. He had 3 good seasons on varsity compiling 10 total interceptions. He became a 4 star prospect and received attention from BCS schools. Among them were Michigan State, Illinois and Iowa. Hassan chose Iowa. Hassan was redshirted his first year. Then he became the starter. He was named to the Freshman All-American team after getting 3 interceptions. His sophomore year, he got 5 and was a second team All-Big Ten. He had a breakout year his junior year where made 68 tackles, got 9 interceptions and returned 3 of them for touchdowns. Hassan began to draw the Ed Reed comparacion. He finished his degree so he decided to enter the draft. His draft stock was late first round. The Ravens had individual workouts with him and liked him a lot. That’s why they felt they needed to trade up for him. Hassan’s family was thrilled that Hassan was drafted by the Ravens. Hassan’s two brothers, Markus and Darius both play high school football.
Player Comparison: Devin McCourty

Bryce Schell

Bryce Schell is the new blind side protector for the Ravens. He grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Schell was always the biggest person in his grade, both height and weight. He began playing football in first grade. He was a guard his entire Pop Warner and High School career. He attended Central High School, not known for their football program. Schell was a standout lineman and participated in the High School All-American game. His technique with the combination of power and agility was noted by college coaches. Schell received scholarship offers from over 40 schools. “This is one of those kids that can really change your program,” said Urban Meyer. Schell had a tough decision to make on signing day. The 5 star prospect narrowed his choices down to USC, LSU, Ohio State, and Florida. He chose USC. When the summer drills came along, coach Lane Kiffin was amazed. Schell became an immediate starter. He was a standout on the USC line his first two years. In his Junior year, he was slowed down by a lingering knee injury. He decided it was best for him to enter the NFL Draft even though he was a second round prospect. In college he was a first team all-american, and two time All Pac-12 first team. Schell’s potential is through the roof. Schell did 35 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press at the Draft Combine. Mel Kiper Jr. gave him a third round grade but the Ravens selected him in the second round.
Player Comparison: Kelechi Osemele

**DynastyBeast** · 02-22-2015, 01:43 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

New Era (Part II)
Mid-Round Picks (2nd-3rd)
Isikeli Franklin

Franklin grew up in Denver, Colorado however Franklin is a “Pacific Islander.” Franklin’s dad played professional rugby in Fiji, a small island in the Pacific Ocean. Franklin’s parents met on a business trip in America and they got married and settled in Denver, Colorado. They decided to give their son the name, Isikeli which is an Australian name to keep the family tradition. Franklin grew up playing soccer but was very physical and his coach suggested he should try football. Franklin began playing football in fifth grade and even though he was raw, he was a force to be reckoned with. Franklin was a natural talent and even though he was undersized, he was a phenomenal pass rusher. In High School, he played defensive tackle and defensive end because of his ability to shed blockers. Franklin attended local Mullen High School. Another famous alum was tight end Bo Sciafe.

Franklin was a standout at Mullen shattering the school sack records. He recorded 12.5 sacks his junior year and 16.0 his senior year. Franklin did not receive much attention from colleges however because of his size. He was a three star prospect but the only BCS school that offered him was Washington State. Franklin accepted the offer and was an immediate force to be reckoned with in the Pac-12. Franklin recorded 5.5 sacks his freshman year and 9.0 his sophomore year. He became an All-Pac12 first teamer. His Junior year he suffered through injuries. He missed 5 games but still recorded 6.5 sacks. Franklin had an incredible start to his senior year. He had 9.5 sacks in his first 5 games. That hot streak continued until November 16, 2014. Franklin had 14.0 sacks at that point but suffered a Torn ACL.

His draft stock plummeted from the top 16 to the second round. He went through rehab but it was a long road to recovery for Franklin. His injury history raised red flags during the scouting process before the NFL draft. He met with Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome. Franklin was a dark horse selection choice for teams looking to add a pass rusher at the end of the first round but he was not selected on day one. He was selected in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens and will join fellow Pacific Islander, Haloti Ngata. Franklin was given the nickname “Easy” by his teammates because of his laid back personality and the difficulties of his last name. Franklin has the potential to become a dangerous pass rusher.
Player Comparison: Elvis Dumervil

Angelo Sylve

Sylve grew up in Germantown, Ohio, a small town in the suburbs of Dayton. Sylve grew up a football player and was a fierce competitor. Sylve played at a young age and had a dream of going to Ohio State. In High School, his recruiting tape is filled with bone crushing hits and nice plays in pass coverage. Sylve attended Valley View High School and he was not on a very attractive team. Sylve’s dad left the family and moved to Alabama and his current whereabouts are unknown. Sylve’s mom Jocina, taught Angelo many values. Sylve was the man of the household and he helped raise three younger siblings while his mom worked two jobs. Sylve’s tape had the attention of many college coaches. But Urban Meyer of Ohio State unfortunately was not one of them. Sylve in the meantime continued to make plays and had a nice option of colleges. Many Big 10 and Big 12 schools offered him, but one school especially caught his eye.

Oklahoma State was an upstart program led by a young coach and the four star linebacker commited to Oklahoma State. Sylve didn’t see much of the field his first two years. He stayed patient and earned a starting job as a junior. That year, he made Mike Gundy regret that he didn’t play much earlier. Sylve was constantly in the backfield and made big hits left and right. That year he racked up 108 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles and was named first team All-American. More importantly, Sylve was headed to the Fiesta Bowl against none other than Ohio State. Ohio State won the game 23-14 but Sylve compiled 16 tackles and many huge hits. Urban Meyer even said, “(Angelo) is a special kid.” Sylve decided to turn in his amazing year and declare for the NFL draft. Sylve wanted to support his family and put his younger siblings through college. He would earn his degree later. Sylve at the Draft Combine really impressed Ozzie Newsome. Sylve was soft spoken and humble which really impressed GMs. But ultimately, Sylve was drafted by the Ravens and since then became a cornerstone of their defense.
Player Comparison: NaVarro Bowman

Jordin Bledsoe

Bledsoe grew up in Angleton, Texas. Bledsoe was raised by his mom and dad. His dad had a job in nearby Houston which supported the family. Bledsoe grew up watching the Cowboys especially Emmitt Smith. He began football and wanted to be a running back, but his coach put him at wide receiver. He was a wide receiver in high school up until his junior year. The teams leader rusher transferred and the #2 got hurt. The coaching staff decided to move Bledsoe to running back. His junior year, he had a breakout season rushing for 1500 yards and 23 touchdowns. He got the attention of many scouts and was invited to an Elite Texas football camp. Bledsoe showcased his speed, elusiveness and vision. In his senior season, he rushed for 1957 yards and 34 touchdowns and led his team to a state championship. Bledsoe was one of the top running back recruits of the nation and had a tough decision on signing day.

Bledsoe signed on to the University of Texas. He redshirted his first year. After that, he was buried in the depth chart. Running backs Joe Bergeron, Jonathan Gray, and Malcolm Brown were ahead of him. After receiving little play time his first season, Bledsoe transferred to Blinn College in Texas where Cam Newton went. He split carries with another running back but played well enough to get attention for FBS schools. He was offered by SMU, UTSA, and Colorado State. Bledsoe chose SMU. In his junior season, Bledsoe again had a breakout year, rushing for 1,384 yards and 13 touchdowns. He added 26 receptions for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns receiving the ball. Bledsoe finally began gaining attention from the NFL. In his senior year, SMU started off the season 7-0 and were ranked #14. They were in prime position to be a “BCS buster” or a team outside of a power conference to make it to a BCS bowl. The following Tuesday, Bledsoe’s father suffered from a heart attack and passed away at the age of 55. SMU coach June Jones on the situation, “He was heart-broken. He’s a tough kid though and he’ll play harder than every on Saturday.” Indeed he did. SMU played conference foe Marshall and Bledsoe had a career day. On 26 carries he ran for 321 yards and 5 scores in a 45-35 victory over the Herd. He even won a helmet sticker on College Football Final. SMU would lose in the C-USA championship game however which deprived them from earning a bid to a BCS bowl. Bledsoe was on the shortlist for the Doak Walker award after rushing for 1,983 yards and 25 touchdowns. SMU would win the Las Vegas Bowl and finish off 13-1 and ranked #16.

Bledsoe performed well at the draft combine. He possesses blazing speed and ran a 4.34 40. Bledsoe is very agile and elusive and a very good pass catcher out of the backfield. He was selected in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens.
Player Comparison: C.J. Spiller

**ignorantlobsters** · 02-22-2015, 02:30 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

This looks promising. I've never seen a dynasty that give in-depth back stories like that. Following.

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**DynastyBeast** · 02-25-2015, 03:30 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Originally posted by ignorantlobsters

This looks promising. I've never seen a dynasty that give in-depth back stories like that. Following.

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Thanks for the support. More I have more backstories on the way.

**DynastyBeast** · 02-26-2015, 12:36 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

New Era (Part III)
Late Round Gems
Andrew Medlock

Medlock was born and raised in Sedgewick, Kansas, a town with 1,000 people in it. Medlock prided himself as a cowboy. He was big into hunting, farming and football. He was always big for his age. He was also one of the strongest kids in his grade. His dad raised him to be a quarterback. His dad would help him become a good quarterback by doing drills with him. Andrew would also do push-ups every other day. By the time he was a freshman in high school, he was 6’3, 190 but most of that was muscle. Sedgewick was a small high school so he immeadiately played on varsity. A four year starter in high school, Medlock was an effective quarterback. Sedgewick was not a football school however and they never finished with a winning record. Medlock owned most school passing records by the time he was a sophomore. He threw for over 6,000 yards in his career. He wasn’t scouted by any colleges however. In fact, it was because of a fluke that he played in college and didn’t become a Navy SEAL like planned. It was early September 2010, and Buffalo had an early season game against Kansas. Head coach Turner Gill brought his recruiting staff along with him in order to scout multiple sport star Bubba Starling in his Friday night game. However, the staff found themselves at the wrong high school. They decided to stay at the game and they were very impressed by Medlock. He had exceptional arm strength and they talked to him after the game.

Medlock was unknown to the college football world so he was an easy signing. Medlock was the backup quarterback for the first few weeks of his freshman season but poor quarterback play gave Medlock an opportunity. Buffalo was trailing Ohio 30-7 at halftime and a halftime adjustment sparked the Buffalo offense in the second half. Although they didn’t win, they found their QB for the next 4 years. Medlock played on a lackluster Buffalo team and never would play in a bowl game. He dealt with a lot of adversity. Poor line, running game, drops, penalties. It was rough sometimes for him. Medlock’s passing numbers rose every year however. He threw for 2457 yards in his freshman year, then 2894 in his sophomore year, then 3241, and 3838 in his senior year. He also eclipsed 25 touchdowns all four years. Even so, he received little attention in the NFL draft. He was not invited to the draft combine. Scouting reports listed him as “flat-footed” and a turnover machine. His arm strength was known but his accuracy was shaky. That’s why he was listed as a 7th round/Priority free agent. The Ravens were looking for a young quarterback to compete for a backup spot. Little did they know they found a quarterback that could be groomed to be the successor of Joe Flacco. GM Ozzie Newsome admitted that, “We took a flier on him (Medlock).” In his first preseason game, he showcased elite arm strength connecting on two long touchdown passes. Medlock would not be a starter for the first time in his life but he also would play for a successful team. This is the Ravens QB of the future. Medlock is very similar to Flacco because they are both flat footed in the pocket but they elite arm strength and questionable accuracy at some points. Flacco has more speed than Medlock however.
Player Comparison: Joe Flacco

Brandan Perry

Perry grew up in the streets of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Perry did not have a happy or childhood. His dad was convicted of manslaughter and his mother fought drug addiction. Sometimes, Perry would sleep in school just to avoid his mom. Perry was a standout on the gridiron however. He and his 5 brothers and sisters were raised by his grandmother. They became really close because Brandan was the man of the household and helped raise his brothers and sisters. In high school, Perry attended Frederick Douglass high school where he became the best corner in the state of Maryland. He was a four star prospect and received attention from BCS schools such as Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan. He committed to Penn State before his senior season in high school. He had an outstanding senior year but Perry’s plays spoiled his reputation. He was considered a “dirty player” as he was accused of targeting or leading with his crown.

In college this issue continued. He redshirted his first year. The following year he received decent playing time on special times and he was also fourth on the depth chart at cornerback. Against Minnesota, he was ejected from the game for targeting receiver Eric Decker. His coach Joe Paterno benched him and he would see little playing time the rest of the year. Perry became the #2 corner the next year and excelled. He had 4 interceptions and was named second team All-Big Ten. That year, the Sandusky sex scandal broke lose and his head coach Joe Paterno was fired. Perry had very controversial comments saying, “The Board of Trustees bs’ed the football program.” Perry gained a lot of respect for Paterno and was upset that he was fired. The next January, Paterno passed away. Perry was very emotional and spoke at his funeral. “He was like the father I never had. When I came to Penn State, I was an immature kid. Now, I’m a man. You can’t replace a guy like this in your life.” The sanctions that were handed out allowed him to transfer to any school without any penalty. Perry decided to stay and finish his career at Penn State. He created the phrase “For Joe.” His junior year, he continued to play well and made another appearance on the All-Big 10 team. In late December, his grandmother passed away. His younger brother and sisters were all on their own. Brandan made a tough decision. He entered the NFL draft. He gave an emotional speech announcing his declaration. “I didn’t want this to happen. I wanted to be here for Penn State. They are my second family. But first, I have to take care of my first family.” Perry was viewed as a fringe prospect who was good in zone coverage but would be a late round pick. Ozzie Newsome met with Perry and saw a bright future and a good kind in Perry. Perry was selected in the sixth round and made his impact ever since.
Player Comparison: Tramon Williams.

Jason Oltmans

Oltmans grew up in Ramapo, New Jersey. Oltmans doesn’t have a heartwarming childhood story like some of the other Ravens. He grew up in a middle class family. Oltmans played football throughout his childhood and grew up watching the New York Giants. He was always a big kid and enjoyed to eat. “Eating and football were my hobbies growing up,” Oltmans jokes. Oltmans was also very bright in school. He attended local Ramapo High School were Greg Schiano also graduated. He had a 3.9 GPA in high school and was an all-conference football player. Oltmans was the starting center for two years on varsity and was named to the Bergen County all-conference team. He was also enrolled in JROTC planning a career in the military.

He decided to head to South Carolina and attend the Citadel. At first, Oltmans was thinking that his football career was over and he wanted to focus and become a cadet and join the Army afterwards. But he had a change of heart. Oltmans tried out for the football team and made it. He did not get much playing time his first two years but his junior year, that changed. Oltmans became the anchor of the line at the Citadel. He was named to the first team All-Southern conference and an honorable mention FCS All-American. His senior year, he had another solid season and was named first team All-American in the FCS. Oltmans had a 3.7 GPA in college and graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Oltmans was invited to the senior bowl and the draft combine and had good showings in both. Later that spring, Oltmans was drafted in the fifth round by the Ravens and became the starting center.
Player Comparison: Max Unger

Trovon Miles

Miles was another local product. He hails from Catonsville, Maryland which is not too far away from Baltimore. Miles grew up playing football and basketball and he excelled at both. For high school, he attended local private school, Mount St. Joesph. He began doing extreme workouts and his strength was unprecedented for a high school student. He played DE mostly and overpowered almost any offensive linemen in the state. He was scouted as early as his sophomore year. He received scholarship offers from over 50 schools. Trovon had a tough decision. His top 4 schools were Ohio State, Florida, Penn State and Michigan. He was a five star prospect and carried the swagger of one too. On signing day, he settled on Ohio State. At Ohio State, he became a standout as well. He received lots of playing time his freshman year and became a starter his sophomore year. Miles recorded 14 TFL his sophomore year and 6.5 sacks. He was a force to be reckoned with. However in the offseason before his junior year, Miles was arrested for possession of marijuana twice and was suspended for the first two games. He was suspended for another game for skipping a team meeting. In 9 games, Miles still recorded 4.5 sacks and 8 TFL.

That offseason he was arrested again for marijuana possession and Urban Meyer booted him off the team. Miles planned on transferring to Youngstown State to finish his collegiate career. However in June, he changed his mind and entered the supplemental draft. He was not selected and he became a free agent. The Ravens gave him a shot and he impressed them very much. He was given the Week One start at right end over Pernell McPhee. Miles is a building block on the defensive line and will have many good years out of him.
Player Comparison: Red Bryant

**DynastyBeast** · 02-27-2015, 08:54 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Author's Note:
The New Era athlete profiles are now complete. I am currently in the 2017 players and will give a recap of a 2017 regular season and show off my depth chart before getting into the playoff game. Thank you for your patience.

**DynastyBeast** · 03-06-2015, 01:07 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Baltimore Ravens 2017 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 10	vs Buffalo Bills	Lost, 16-13(OT)
Sep 17	vs Jacksonville Jaguars	Won, 28-20
Sep 24	vs Indianapolis Colts	Won, 17-10
Oct 1	at Cleveland Browns	Won, 35-19
Oct 8	at San Diego Chargers	Lost, 27-17
Oct 15	at Houston Texans	Won, 28-12
Oct 22	vs Cincinnati Bengals	Won, 21-17
Nov 5	vs Chicago Bears	Lost, 27-24
Nov 12	vs Cleveland Browns	Won, 20-13
Nov 20	vs Detroit Lions	Won, 21-13
Nov 26	at Green Bay Packers	Lost, 38-35(OT)
Dec 3	vs Cincinnati Bengals	Won, 21-17
Dec 10	vs Pittsburgh Steelers	Lost, 20-17(OT)
Dec 18	at Minnesota Vikings	Lost, 23-14
Dec 24	at Pittsburgh Steelers	Won, 13-10
Dec 31	vs Tennessee Titans	Won, 35-16

2017 Recap

The Ravens had a solid 2017 season. They kicked off the season against the Bills. Both teams had a stout defense and it took overtime to decide it. However, the Bills were able to stop the Ravens and then kick a field goal to win the game 16-13. The Ravens battled the Jaguars the next week and Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 212 yards on 15 carries but the Ravens were able to win 28-20. Jordin Bledsoe rushed for 99 yards on 13 carries. The Ravens traveled back home to face the Colts. Jordin Bledsoe had another good game rushing for 135 yards on 24 carries. Joe Flacco threw an interception at the goal line and Colts linebacker Anders Hewitt returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. However, the Ravens stout defense was able to keep the Colts offense out of the end zone as they got the win 17-10.

The Ravens traveled to Cleveland to face the Browns and Ray Rice had an outstanding game. He won AFC Player of the Week and he rushed for 237 yards on 24 carries and added 4 rushing touchdowns. The defense showed up again as Angelo Sylve lead the defense with 12 tackles. Against the Chargers, Torrey Smith had a nice game with 8 catches for 162 yards and Rice added 117 yards on the ground but the Ravens took the loss 27-17. Mario Williams was all over the backfield with 12 tackles and 2 forced fumbles and Angelo Sylve added 11 tackles. Against the Texans, Ray Rice had another big game. On 20 carries, he rushed for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns. Torrey Smith had 7 catches for 112 yards. The Texans added veteran Eli Manning in the offseason and he went 18-28 for 224 yards. Andre Johnson caught over half of his attempts with 11 catches for 105 yards. The Ravens outlasted the Texans 28-17.

After this game, the Ravens made some trades. The first trade sent longtime tight end Ed Dickson and a first round pick for 49ers linebacker Navarro Bowman. They also traded running back Exil Walker to the Buffalo Bills for a first round pick. The 4-2 Ravens played the Bengals. The Ravens Run game lead the way. Ray Rice had 22 carries for 75 yards and Jordin Bledsoe had 13 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown. Owen Daniels had 8 catches for 119 yards On defense, Cort Dennison replacing the injured Navarro Bowman recorded 12 tackles and forced a fumble. They beat the Bengals 21-17. The entered the bye week 5-2. Against the Bears, Owen Daniels and Arron Bell got hurt. Daniels replacement Dennis Pitta had 6 catches for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Bears offense was successful. Matt Forte rushed for 153 yards on 24 carries and Jeremy Maclin had 9 catches for 131 yards. Against the Browns, Flacco had a big game going 22-40 for 338 yards. Torrey Smith was the leading reciever with 10 catches for 211 yards. Shamir Banks won AFC defensive player of the week with 12 tackles and 3 sacks.

On Thanksgiving, the Ravens played the Lions. This was a defensive battle as Nick Fairley had 4 sacks and Trovon Miles had 2 for the Ravens. The Lions had a chance to tie the game being down 21-13. They were in the red zone but Brandan Perry intercepted a pass to seal the game. Then, the Ravens had an epic Sunday Night game against the Packers. Both quarterbacks played exceptional. Flacco was 25-42 for 325 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. Rodgers went 26-40 for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. Jordy Nelson had 7 catches for 144 in his return to Green Bay. Dennis Pitta added 9 catches for 108 yards. Packers Running Back C.J. Grady was a workhorse rushing for 129 yards on 34 carries. However, the Ravens lost in overtime 38-35.

The Ravens had their worst game the next week against the Bengals. The offense struggled as they had less than 250 yards of total offense. A.J. Green could not be stopped as he had 8 catches for 136 yards. Easy Franklin had 15 tackles. The Ravens had a battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week. Steelers Pro Bowl Running Back Jejwuane Miles rushed for 134 yards on 19 carries. The Ravens run game was ineffective again. On defense, Easy Franklin was the standout, recording 2 sacks. This was a tough game that went to overtime. But Dan Carpenter booted a 31 yard field goal and the Steelers won 20-17. The Ravens were on a 3 game losing skid heading into Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. Adrian Peterson controlled the game rushing for 123 yards and 2 scores. The Ravens offense struggled again. Their lone bright spot was Dennis Pitta who caught a 67 yard touchdown pass. He finished the game with 5 catches for 109 yards. The Ravens were coming back when Joe Flacco through a red zone interception to Mark Barron and the Vikings sealed the game. The Ravens lost 23-14. The Ravens playoff hopes were endangered now with a 4 game losing streak that made their record 7-7. The Ravens had another defensive battle against the Steelers. They eeked out a win 13-10. Terrell Suggs and Angelo Sylve each had 12 tackles and for the Steelers, Garrick Williams recorded 15 tackles. Dennis Pitta was an important factor with many catches on third down. He was there when the Ravens needed him. He had 12 catches for 95 yards. Jejwuane Miles had 25 carries for 101 yards for the Steelers.

The Ravens entered their final game needing a win to advance to the playoffs. Their opponent was the Tennessee Titans who eliminated the Ravens the last time they met in the playoffs. The Titans were eliminated from playoff contention could play spoiler for the Ravens. Luckily, Ray Rice turned up with two long touchdown runs (92,90) as he rushed for 264 yards on 18 carries and added 3 scores. Torrey Smith was reliable as he had 10 catches for 80 yards. With a 9-7 record, the Ravens advanced to the playoffs. Their opponent in the wild card round? The Pittsburgh Steelers. This will be an epic matchup.
Author's Note: This is where I am in the franchise now, you guys are all caught up. I will post league leaders, player stats, and depth chart. After that, it's time for the playoffs.

**DynastyBeast** · 03-07-2015, 10:54 AM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

NFL Standings - Updated: Dec 31, 2017
NFC EAST	W	L	T
y-Dallas Cowboys	11	5	0
x-Washington Redskins	10	6	0
New York Giants	9	7	0
Philadelphia Eagles	7	9	0
NFC NORTH	W	L	T
y-Minnesota Vikings	10	6	0
x-Chicago Bears	10	6	0
Detroit Lions	8	8	0
Green Bay Packers	5	11	0
NFC SOUTH	W	L	T
y-Atlanta Falcons	11	5	0
Carolina Panthers	9	7	0
New Orleans Saints	8	8	0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6	10	0
NFC WEST	W	L	T
z-Arizona Cardinals	13	3	0
Seattle Seahawks	8	8	0
San Francisco 49ers	8	8	0
St. Louis Rams	4	12	0
AFC EAST	W	L	T
y-Buffalo Bills	10	6	0
New England Patriots	7	9	0
Miami Dolphins	6	10	0
New York Jets	5	11	0
AFC NORTH	W	L	T
y-Baltimore Ravens	9	7	0
x-Pittsburgh Steelers	9	7	0
x-Cincinnati Bengals	9	7	0
Cleveland Browns	4	12	0
AFC SOUTH	W	L	T
y-Indianapolis Colts	10	6	0
Houston Texans	7	9	0
Tennessee Titans	7	9	0
Jacksonville Jaguars	5	11	0
AFC WEST	W	L	T
y-San Diego Chargers	10	6	0
Denver Broncos	8	8	0
Oakland Raiders	8	8	0
Kansas City Chiefs	5	11	0

**DoubleRussia** · 03-07-2015, 10:57 AM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Just a tip, try and break those posts into paragraphs rather than walls of text, makes them easier on the eyes and easier to read.

Other than that, I love it. I love how in depth it is, following

**DynastyBeast** · 03-07-2015, 04:06 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Originally posted by DoubleRussia

Just a tip, try and break those posts into paragraphs rather than walls of text, makes them easier on the eyes and easier to read.

Other than that, I love it. I love how in depth it is, following

Thanks for the advice and the support. I'll fix my previous posts.

**DynastyBeast** · 03-07-2015, 06:16 PM

Re: Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

Baltimore Ravens Stats - 2017
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Joe Flacco	271/498	3290	6.6	206.6	67	21	19	73.1
Andrew Medlock	41/60	378	7.9	28.4	30	2	2	82.1
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Ray Rice	250	1410	5.6	93		13	88.1	3
Jordin Bledsoe	116	497	4.3	62		4	31.0	1
Shane Vereen	21	117	5.5	24		1	11.7	0
Poppy Mollete	2	7	3.5	5		0	0.5	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	20+	YDS/G	YAC
Torrey Smith	71	1136	16.0	6			71.0
Dennis Pitta	56	634	11.3	7			39.6
Jordy Nelson	38	487	12.6	2			34.4
Owen Daniels	34	390	11.1	2			43.3
Ray Rice	29	336	11.5	2			21.0
Ryan Broyles	24	297	12.3	0			22.0
Jorvante Haynes	16	157	9.8	0			9.8
Poppy Molette	8	70	8.7	2			4.3
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
Angelo Sylve	99	34	133	2.5	11	0	0	0
Navarro Bowman	83	37	120	2.0	5	0	0	0
Mario Williams	70	23	93	5.5	8	0	0	0
Isikeli Franklin	49	13	62	9.0	6	0	0	0
Charles Johnson	38	23	61	4.0	6	0	0	0
Trovon Miles	30	10	40	4.5	6	0	0	0
Arron Bell	23	13	35	2.0	3	0	2	0
Brandan Perry	34	13	47	0	0	0	2	0
DeAngelo Hall	10	8	18	0	0	0	2	0
Hassan Glover	18	17	35	0	3	0	1	0
Shamir Banks	21	12	33	6.0	1	0	0	0
Cort Dennison	25	5	30	1.5	0	0	0	0
Terrell Suggs	24	5	29	2.0	3	0	0	0
	Field Goals				Extra Points
Kicking	FGM	FGA	PCT	LONG	XPM	XPA	PCT	PTS
Mason Crosby	17	23	73	56

Baltimore Ravens: A New Era

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