Jamison Hensley
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Jay Higgins IV, an undrafted inside linebacker out of Iowa, was consuming lunch within the Baltimore Ravens' cafeteria on Tuesday when he received a faucet on his shoulder. Ravens common supervisor Eric DeCosta wished to speak with him.
It was the day when Baltimore needed to reduce its roster right down to 53 gamers, and Higgins felt his coronary heart price rising as he walked down the corridor to DeCosta's workplace. When DeCosta broke the information that he made the Ravens roster, Higgins simply bent over along with his head dealing with the ground.
“I used to be simply lightheaded when he advised me,” Higgins mentioned after Wednesday's observe. “I used to be so stunned.”
Higgins' response was among the many highlights of a Ravens video that captured the reactions of three undrafted rookies who overcame the steep problem of constructing an NFL 53-man roster. In a span of 4 months, Higgins, cornerback Keyon Martin and security Reuben Lowery went from the dejection of not getting chosen within the NFL draft to the enjoyment of touchdown a spot on a Tremendous Bowl contender's roster.
Higgins' household put the video in a bunch chat. Inside linebackers coach Tyler Santucci performed the video within the assembly room.
“We had been celebrating all people, simply to see the shock in our faces and simply how blissful we had been,” Higgins mentioned.
Martin's street was the hardest one of all of them. Coming from Louisiana-Lafayette, he had no gives after he went undrafted and he obtained one name for a tryout.
“It was fairly exhausting on me. I am not going to lie, popping out proper after the draft, realizing that no person was going to signal me,” Martin mentioned. “However as soon as I received that decision concerning the [Ravens] rookie minicamp, I am like, all proper, ‘It is on me now.' So I knew that if I wished to come back in and do what I actually wished to do within the NFL, I simply needed to come out right here and show it.”
Within the second preseason recreation, Martin recorded a security. Within the third one, he returned an interception for a landing.
“On daily basis I step on this constructing, I do know that I am beating the chances,” Martin mentioned. “So I am simply having fun with the journey actually.”
Goals turning into a actuality.
Eric DeCosta surprises three undrafted rookies with information they made the 53-man roster. 🥹 🥹 pic.twitter.com/8Rf2shoQoz
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 27, 2025
What the Ravens' cameras did not seize was an change between Martin and Lowery on a stairwell. Lowery was strolling down after being advised the excellent news that he made the staff, and Martin was heading as much as DeCosta's workplace.
“We did not even should say any phrases. It was only a massive hug,” Lowery mentioned. “It was like a film second, truthfully.”
Lowery nonetheless remembers how he waited an hour after the draft ended to get his solely name from an NFL staff. The Ravens supplied him a one-year deal that included no signing bonus.
However Lowery hasn't had time to understand the second that he made the Ravens.
“It's exhausting to wrap your thoughts round truthfully proper now as a result of your mind, particularly in camp, has been so centered on working, working, working, working,” Lowery mentioned. “However at some point, I'll positively look again on it and be like, ‘Wow, that is insane.'”
Lowery was on the dean's listing at Tennessee-Chattanooga and has a level in mechanical engineering. So, was it more durable to get his diploma or make the Ravens?
“That is an excellent query,” Lowery mentioned. “I'd say [the Ravens], simply because it is a new environment, it is new individuals. Mechanical engineering is difficult, however you simply go right into a classroom daily and you work it out. However ‘Play like a Raven' means one thing right here.”
