The face of the Ravens defense is changing.
Gone are players like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed who built the defense into the NFL's premier unit over the franchise's 19-year history that has included two Lombardi Trophies.
The Ravens have expectations to return to that point and will look to new inside linebacker C.J. Mosley to help lead that charge.
"We want to get back to the top on defense and we think this is the guy right here that can lead us in that direction," Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees said during Mosley's introductory press conference Friday in Baltimore.
The Ravens took the linebacker from Alabama with the No. 17 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and he is expected to make an immediate impact on the defense.
Mosley's track record as a winner is proven, and he comes to Baltimore after losing just seven games during his four-year stretch at Alabama. He anchored the middle of Alabama's defense for the last three seasons and won two National Championships with the Crimson Tide.
Mosley was a consensus All-American the last two years, and he understands the expectations that await him in Baltimore.
"I kind of know what kind of environment I'm coming into," Mosley said. "They missed the playoffs and they have some guys that are a little bit upset with that. At Alabama, we expect to win a championship every single year."
The Ravens also expect to compete for championships every season.
Last year's 8-8 season was the first time they missed the playoffs under Head Coach John Harbaugh. He previously guided the Ravens to six straight postseason appearances, including the 2012 run to Super Bowl XLVII.
"The atmosphere I'm about to come into, I'm used to that every day at Alabama," Mosley said. "I know guys are going to be fired up and ready to be great, and I'm just trying to be that next player that can come in and help this team win and help this team be great."
Defense has long been the foundation in Baltimore, dating back to the 2000 Super Bowl season when the Ravens boasted arguably the best defense in NFL history. Baltimore defenders have won four Defensive Player of the Year Awards in the last 14 years and the group is consistently one of the NFL's best.
Mosley knows the Ravens history of defense well.
He grew up idolizing Lewis and said that the future Hall of Famer was his favorite player as a kid. While Lewis and some of team's iconic players are gone, the Ravens still have proven defensive stars in perennial Pro Bowlers like Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata, and Mosley is eager to join them in helping to rebuild the group into an elite unit.
"I'm ready to be a Raven," Mosley said. "I'm ready to get on the football field and prove to the fans and prove to the coaches that I'm ready to play and help this team win."
