Ravens Defender Named Future Hard Knocks Star
With the Baltimore Ravens and the rest of the AFC North set to appear on "Hard Knocks: In Season" later this year, fans of all four teams have already begun to speculate on who could literally steal the show.
On every edition of "Hard Knocks" there's at least one player who becomes a fan-favorite throughout the season. Now with four teams instead of the usual one, there should be even more chances for players to stand out in a meaningful way.
The question is, which players could attract the spotlight? Well, star linebacker Roquan Smith could be a standout on the show, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
"Middle linebacker Roquan Smith has been a quote machine since joining the Ravens, but you quickly learn that the weekly tough talk is part of his personality," Zrebiec writes. "It’s interpreted as trash talk by the media/opposing teams looking for headlines or bulletin board material, but he says similar things every week. It’s not jarring when context is included."
Another player who could be a camera magnet is cornerback Marlon Humphrey, but for entirely different reasons.
"He can be moody and mercurial, and quite frankly, difficult to deal with at times. But he also seems to like the give-and-take, says or tweets whatever is on his mind and he’s never shown an ounce of concern about what others think about it," Zrebiec writes. "He has some 'interesting' thoughts and viewpoints, too. If he’s in the mood, his podium sessions are some of the most entertaining interviews you’ll see all year. He can be thoughtful, honest and revealing. This is a guy who acknowledged last summer that he sought owner Steve Bisciotti’s advice on his love life. So yeah, he’s built for this."
The Ravens have been pretty guarded when it comes to inside looks at the team, and coach John Harbaugh recently called "Hard Knocks" a "distraction." This show will give fans a rare inside look at the team's operation, and if Smith, Humphrey and others end up stealing the show, even better.
JON ALFANO