FSU football: 15 greatest NFL careers ever by former Seminoles

FSU football greatest NFL career No.11: Peter Boulware

Peter Boulware was a tremendous linebacker who was a star at Florida State in the mid-’90s. He was an All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year and there’s no shocker that he followed that success with a solid NFL career.

He’d become the 4th pick of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and would join a franchise in their second year in existence. Joining Ray Lewis, the Ravens would have an elite linebacking core for years to come and Boulware was a major weapon.

He’d start every game of his first two seasons and was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1997, racking up 11.5 sacks. Boulware was named to four Pro Bowls and was also Second Team All-Pro in 2000, though that wasn’t the biggest highlight of that season, as the Ravens would win their first Super Bowl that year.

The following season saw Boulware hit a career-high with 15.0 sacks and 4 forced fumbles, while a pair of Pro Bowl appearances would follow shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, he missed the 2004 season with a knee injury and was never the same, playing a backup role the following year before being released.

Boulware was a dominant linebacker when he was healthy and right and was part of the Ravens’ incredible defense in the early 2000s. His career came to an end with 70.0 career sacks and a load of other contributions, with the former Top 5 draft pick clearly living up to the hype.