Since the days of Chris McAlister, the Baltimore Ravens have been consistently defunct of a true franchise cornerback; one that the secondary can be built around.
For a short period, Lardarius Webb flashed this potential, but injuries and a rapid regression prevented him from ever reaching this stature. In recent years, however, it looked like the Ravens finally found their true franchise cornerback.
After taking a chance on Jimmy Smith, a talented cornerback with off-field issues, in the 2011 draft, the organization took the long-term approach to his development.