Veteran CB Reveals Why He Chose Ravens

Chidobe Awuzie is still one of the newer members of the Baltimore Ravens, as the veteran cornerback only signed with the team back in March.

However, the ninth-year pro has long had his eyes on the Ravens, even before his playing days.

While speaking with reporters following Saturday's practice, Awuzie revealed that his fascination with the Ravens started when playing "Madden" as a kid in the late 90s and early 2000s, when he thought it was unfair to play as them due to how dominant their defense was.

"I'm a '90s baby, and I guess we getting the old now or something," Awuzie told reporters. "But when I grew up, seeing Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs [and] the offenses they had with Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith ... There [were] so many great players; the running backs ... It's always been a standard [to be great].

"Like I said, [when] you played Madden, it's like, 'Oh, you're using the Ravens, bro? Oh, you can't use the Ravens.' It's like cheating almost, you know what I'm saying? It's like, they have that aura about the team.

Earlier in his career, Awuzie got a taste of the Ravens' culture from the outside, particularly when he was with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, though, he's getting to experience it from within, and it's every bit of what he thought it was.

"This Baltimore Ravens team, this is a standard and a culture to follow around the NFL," Awuzie said. "This tree has produced a lot of great players, great coaches, great systems and rightfully so. People are going to bring that wherever they go, and I'm blessed to now be a part of that. And I feel like no one will understand what 'Train Like a Raven,' means, 'Play Like a Raven,' [until you get here]. But it really resonates with your soul. So yes, [there are] definitely some similarities there."

That said, Awuzie didn't just decide to sign with the Ravens on a whim. He spoke with Marlon Humphrey, Nnamdi Madubuike and others before signing, which helped pull him to Baltimore over other suitors.

Awuzie only played in eight games last season with the Tennessee Titans, but has stayed healthy and enjoyed a solid offseason thus far. He even picked off Lamar Jackson during Saturday's practice, hopefully an indication of what he could bring during the regular season.