Halloween is now in the rear-view mirror, but the Baltimore Ravens sure had their fun with it.
In one of this year’s best NFL costumes, Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith dressed up as teammate and two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. He specifically took inspiration from Jackson’s photoshoot for GQ Magazine, donning the same shirt, a similar necklace and shoes and even rocking a similar haircut. All in all, it was a pretty accurate recreation.
Jackson quickly caught wind of Smith’s costume, and it’s safe to say he liked what he saw.
“I was laughing,” Jackson said Friday. “Before I uploaded it, [Roquan Smith] sent it to me. I was just dying laughing. I was like, ‘Bro, that’s funny as heck.’ That was a great costume; I’ll put it like that.”
Smith, now in his third season with the Ravens, leads the team with 82 total tackles, 25 more than the next closest player. However, his underlying numbers are not as impressive. He has a 57.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranks No. 103 out of 154 linebackers and is a massive step down from his past grades. As the Ravens’ struggling defense looks to get back on track, Smith returning to peak form would be a huge boost.
Jackson, on the other hand, is playing arguably the best ball of his entire career, and that’s saying a lot considering he’s a two-time MVP. Through eight games, he’s completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,099 yards, 17 touchdowns and two interceptions, adding 501 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He’s the main reason the Ravens are in contention, and he likely has even more hardware in his future.
Maybe, just maybe, Smith dressing up as likely the best player in football right now could help him out.