Editing Ray Lewis (section)

=== 1996 season: Rookie season ===

Lewis was the top-rated [[inside linebacker]] heading into the 1996 NFL Draft,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Saraceno |first=Jon |date=April 16, 1996 |title=Picking is slim for teams needing linebackers, tackles |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Plaschke |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Plaschke |date=April 19, 1996 |title=Rating the NFL Draft |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-19-sp-60299-story.html |access-date=November 8, 2011 |archive-date=October 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019062942/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-04-19/sports/sp-60299_1_nfl-draft |url-status=live }}</ref> in which [[Kevin Hardy (linebacker)|Kevin Hardy]] was considered the draft's only outstanding linebacker prospect.<ref name="marquez">{{Cite news |last=Marquez |first=Alex |date=April 18, 1996 |title=Illinois' Hardy only top linebacker in draft |work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref> Taken as the fifth linebacker in the draft, Lewis was seen by scouts as possessing speed, tackling ability, and intensity, as well as being praised for his ability to go into pass coverage. But many considered his lack of size a potential liability.<ref name="marquez" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mulhern |first=Tom |date=April 19, 1996 |title=Packers in desperate need for more depth at linebacker |work=[[The Capital Times]] |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-69595481.html |access-date=November 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019062942/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-69595481.html |archive-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 20, 1996 |title=NFL Draft: Top prospects // Defense |page=D15 |work=[[The Orange County Register]]}}</ref> In his first career game, a week 1 19–14 victory over the [[1996 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]], Lewis earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his seven-tackle performance, along with an unusual interception.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Childs |date=February 16, 2013 |title=Timeline of Ray Lewis' career |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-sp-ravens-ray-lewis-timeline-0210-20130216-story.html |access-date=February 26, 2019 |website=baltimoresun.com |language=en-US |archive-date=February 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227060558/https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-sp-ravens-ray-lewis-timeline-0210-20130216-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Week 1 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/week_1.htm |access-date=February 26, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=February 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227060520/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/week_1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Lewis earned ''[[USA Today]]'s'' All-Rookie team honors after his 15 tackles for loss led the [[NFL]] and 110 tackles led the Ravens in the 1996 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 Baltimore Ravens Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/1996.htm |access-date=February 26, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=February 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203122710/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> He finished his rookie season with two and a half sacks, six pass deflections, and an interception on the season as the Ravens finished with a 4–12 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Defense |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/defense.htm |access-date=February 26, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=February 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227060325/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/defense.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ray Lewis 1996 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiRa00/gamelog/1996 |access-date=February 26, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=August 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809153524/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiRa00/gamelog/1996/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 Baltimore Ravens Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/1996.htm |access-date=October 8, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405065349/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>