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

[Tecahl]

Discuss.

[brayTxiv]

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]

Quote: Originally Posted by brayTxiv

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]

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

[brayTxiv]

Quote: Originally Posted by mKoz26

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]

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]

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

[CW McGraw]

Quote: Originally Posted by burnwood

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.