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| Marshal Yanda | |
|---|---|
| Name | Marshal Yanda |
| Birth date | February 15, 1984 |
| Birth place | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Weight lb | 320 |
| College | Iowa |
| Position | Offensive guard |
| Nfl drafted year | 2007 |
| Nfl drafted pick | 86 |
| Pastteams | Baltimore Ravens (2007–2019) |
| All pro | 6× First-team All-Pro (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) |
Marshal Yanda was an American professional football offensive lineman known for his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League. A standout at Iowa and a durable presence on the Ravens' offensive front, he earned multiple Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors while anchoring a unit that protected hall-of-fame quarterback Joe Flacco and powered a Super Bowl-winning running attack. Yanda's career combined technical mastery, physical toughness, and leadership, establishing him among the premier guards of his era.
Yanda was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in nearby Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He attended Cuyahoga Falls High School, where he played football and competed in track and field, emerging as a multisport athlete scouted by college football programs. As a high school recruit he garnered attention from regional powerhouses including Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan, ultimately committing to Iowa under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
At Iowa Yanda became a fixture on the offensive line for the Iowa Hawkeyes, starting multiple seasons at tackle and guard for the Big Ten program. He earned recognition from conference coaches and media, including All-Big Ten Conference honors, and gained experience in bowl games such as the Outback Bowl and Capital One Bowl. His collegiate tenure under offensive line coaches including Bob Bostad and Ron Zook emphasized technique and versatility, increasing his visibility to NFL scouts ahead of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Yanda was selected in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and developed into a perennial starter on the Ravens' offensive line. He protected quarterback Joe Flacco during the Ravens' run to victory in Super Bowl XLVII and blocked for running backs including Ray Rice, Justin Forsett, and Javorius "Buck" Allen. Over his career, Yanda was instrumental in Baltimore's rushing attacks and pass protection schemes overseen by offensive coordinators such as Cam Cameron, John Harbaugh (also head coach), and Jim Caldwell.
Known for his consistency, Yanda started consecutively in many seasons and posted exceptional grades from analytics services like Pro Football Focus as well as evaluations by the NFL Players Association. He was named to multiple Pro Bowl rosters and received First-team All-Pro selections in several seasons. In the 2014 and 2016 campaigns, his run-blocking and pass-protection contributed to the Ravens' improved offensive rankings, and he played through injuries in high-stakes matchups versus opponents like the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Yanda announced his retirement after the 2019 season, when he spent time on injured reserve, concluding a 13-year career entirely with the Baltimore Ravens. Post-retirement discussions linked him with Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration and appearances on media outlets including ESPN and regional coverage by the Baltimore Sun.
Yanda's playing style combined hand placement, leverage, and mobility, traits developed in the Iowa Hawkeyes program and refined in Baltimore's blocking schemes. Analysts compared his technical prowess to historic interior linemen who excelled at both pass protection and run blocking, noting Yanda's ability to pull, reach block, and mirror edge rushers from teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams. Coaches praised his leadership in the locker room alongside teammates including Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, and Haloti Ngata for elevating younger linemen like John Urschel (guest trainer appearances) and draft picks like Gus Edwards.
His legacy includes sustained elite play, demonstrated by his repeated selection to All-Pro teams and his role in a Super Bowl championship. Football historians and statisticians reference Yanda in discussions of the best guards of the 2010s alongside peers like Logan Mankins, Zack Martin, and Quenton Nelson.
Off the field, Yanda maintained ties to Iowa and the Baltimore community, participating in team charitable initiatives coordinated with the Ravens Foundation and local nonprofits. He engaged in youth football camps and community outreach programs involving partners such as United Way and regional hospitals including Johns Hopkins Hospital. Yanda's personal network includes teammates, coaches, and former opponents from conferences and franchises across the NFL.
Yanda's individual honors feature multiple Pro Bowl selections, six First-team All-Pro nods, and recognition from Pro Football Focus as a top-graded interior lineman. He was part of the Baltimore Ravens squad that won Super Bowl XLVII, and his career sparked conversation for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame among sportswriters and analysts at outlets like The Athletic and USA Today.
Category:American football offensive guards Category:Baltimore Ravens players Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football players Category:1984 births Category:Living people