Former Ravens Sack Leader Among Top Draft Steals Since 2000

The Baltimore Ravens have historically been just as good at signing skilled veteran edge rushers capable of producing at a high level as they are at drafting and developing them, if not even better. Since the turn of the decade, general manager Eric DeCosta's hit rate in terms of getting resurgent and even career-best seasons from more seasoned players at the position has been incredibly high.

One of those smashing success stories is four-time Pro Bowler Justin Houston, who played for the Ravens for two seasons from 2021-22. The 13-year veteran was the latest former player who spent time with the Charm City franchise to be named in the outside linebacker edition of the top five best draft values of the millennium article series by NFL.com's Eric Edholm.

Coming in at No. 5 on the list, the former third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs out of Georgia in 2011 just edged out another former prolific pass rusher who not only also played for the Ravens but holds the franchise record for most sacks in a single season, Elvis Dumervil, for inclusion on the list according to Edholm.

"If you weigh them side by each, Houston did just a little more for the team that drafted him and was a bit more of a well-rounded player, even if he came a round earlier in their respective drafts," Edholm wrote.

Houston recorded 14 of his 112 career sacks in 29 games with the Ravens, including a team-leading 9.5 in 2022, but the bulk of his production and best seasons came during his first eight years in the NFL with the Chiefs. He recorded three of his four career double-digit sack seasons and was named First Team All Pro once in Kansas City, which included posting a league-leading 22 sacks in 2014.

"The massive-framed Houston was coming off a 10-sack season at Georgia and tested very well at the combine but slipped to Round 3 of the 2011 draft," Edholm wrote. "By the end of his rookie season, though, it was clear he should have gone much higher. Houston would rack up 112 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, five picks and four safeties (tied for the most ever) -- most of which came during his Kansas City days."

While Houston's heyday was with the Chiefs and the fourth double-digit sack season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2019, he reached the century mark in sacks with the Ravens in Week 10 of the 2021 season against the Miami Dolphins by notching his third of the year.