The Baltimore Ravens head into 2026 with plenty to prove, and two rankings from the NFL Top 100 only sharpened the edge.
Lamar Jackson and Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore’s top two players, were both slotted far lower than anyone in Charm City would have expected. Jackson, who was ranked No. 2 before tumbling to No. 69, took the biggest hit.
Hamilton wasn’t far behind in terms of surprise, landing at No. 63.
Because the Top 100 is voted on by players, those numbers will sit with Jackson and Hamilton. They’ll also give the Ravens a couple of obvious receipts to carry into a season where they’re trying to reestablish themselves after a forgettable year.
Jackson’s drop is especially jarring. He started last season on a heater, but injuries threw everything off and kept him from doing the things that make him so dangerous - extending plays, escaping pressure and turning broken moments into game-changing ones.
Even so, the idea that he’s slipping doesn’t line up with what Baltimore believes it has in its quarterback. The encouraging part for the Ravens is that Jackson is back to 100% this offseason, and he’ll be operating behind what should be much better guard play, with a receiver group that could be deep as well.
That combination, plus a little extra motivation, gives him a real chance to get back to MVP-level football.
Hamilton’s case is different, but just as easy to understand. He plays safety, which means he may never get the kind of recognition that matches his impact, but he affects every part of the game.
Offenses have to account for him on every snap, because he can tilt the plan in a hurry. He’s also coming off his third straight All-Pro selection and Pro Bowl nod, and he did that while the rest of the defense around him was struggling.
Put him in a better unit and the ceiling gets even higher. A huge 2026 is on the table.
The Ravens don’t need a list to light a fire under them. They already have their eyes on a playoff return and the roster looks built to help them get there. But those rankings won’t be forgotten quickly, and they may end up giving Baltimore exactly the kind of fuel it wants.
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Ryan Clark Just Said What Ravens Fans Feel About Lamar Disrespect
The frustration around Lamar Jacksons place on the NFL Top 100 list has been easy to understand for Ravens fans, especially after seeing him land all the way down at 69th. It is the kind of ranking that invites debate on its own, but it has also reopened the larger conversation about how Jackson is viewed nationally compared with other top quarterbacks, even when his body of work and impact in Baltimore remain obvious.
Ryan Clark stepped into that conversation and said what plenty around the Ravens have been thinking, pushing back on the idea that Jackson should be judged so harshly while other passers get more benefit of the doubt. Clark pointed to Joe Burrow as part of that broader comparison, and the contrast has only sharpened the sense that Jacksons ranking says as much about perception as it does performance, especially with injuries and missed time still hanging over the discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Hamilton Just Got The Kind Of Respect Ravens Fans Expected
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Baltimore has leaned on that versatility from the start, and it has helped turn Hamilton into one of the defining pieces of the defense heading toward 2026. Coaches have praised the way he functions as a big nickel defender, and the numbers around him have matched the eye test, with quarterbacks far less comfortable when he is on the field. The Ravens already locked him in with a major extension, so the only real question now is how much more his role can expand as the defense keeps building around him. [Read more 🡒]