Former Ravens Safety Among Best Draft Values of Century

There wasn't a shred of doubt that the Baltimore Ravens would have at least one representative on safety edition of the top five best draft values of the millennium article series by NFL.com's Eric Edholm and that it would be franchise legend and Hall of Fame inductee, Ed Reed, who came in at the top spot.

What wasn't a guarantee was whether any other player at the position that was either drafted by or played for them at some point would make the cut. Joining Reed in the top 3 was another former Raven, Eric Weddle, who came in at No. 3 just behind another Hall of Famer, Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I was essentially weighing Weddle against another early second-rounder, Budda Baker, who was taken one spot earlier 10 years later, in the 2017 NFL Draft," Edholm wrote. "Although Baker has tallied more Pro Bowl invitations (seven to Weddle's six), Weddle's overall body of work with the team that drafted him was just a bit stronger on the whole than what Baker has done in eight seasons for the Cardinals."

The six-time Pro Bowler was originally drafted in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of Utah by the then-San Diego Chargers, who have since relocated to Los Angeles. He spent the first nine years of his career with the team that brought him into the league and established himself as one of the best ball hawks in the league, whose range was widened and amplified by his incredible instincts and natural feel for the passing game.

"Weddle quickly became one of the league's best center fielders, able to impact the game in coverage and as an open-field tackler, earning two first-team and three second-team All-Pro honors in a dominant five-season span (2010-14) in San Diego," Edholm wrote.

After leaving the Chargers following the 2015 season, Weddle spent the next three years as one of the best players in the Ravens' defense, making the Pro Bowl each season and totaling 10 interceptions and 24 pass breakups.