When University of Maryland safety Beau Brade made the regular-season roster for his hometown team last September, it marked the 20th time in 21 years that the Baltimore Ravens kept at least one undrafted rookie to start a season.
The undrafted free agent process is something the organization takes extremely seriously and puts much time and effort into. The Ravens’ long list of undrafted free agent finds includes fullback Patrick Ricard, former inside linebacker and current defensive coordinator Zach Orr, recently retired nose tackle Michael Pierce and kicker Justin Tucker.
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Their latest class, which was announced Sunday, is heavy on offensive and defensive linemen and defensive backs. It includes an offensive tackle nicknamed “The Tank,” along with a wide receiver who went to high school just down the road from the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium.
This year’s class has a lot to live up to, given the team’s sterling history in this area, and its share of challenges. The Ravens have one of the deepest rosters in the league. They’ll start training camp in late July with only a handful of positions up for grabs.
Below are a few names who will be vying for them and trying to become the latest Ravens undrafted free agents to find a longtime NFL home.
Best chance to stick
Jay Higgins, ILB, Iowa: The Athletic draft analyst Dane Brugler had Higgins as the 22nd-best inside linebacker in the draft class and projected him to be a sixth- or seventh-round pick. A two-year starter and a defensive signal caller, Higgins played the Mike linebacker spot and was a tackling machine, leading the FBS with 295 combined tackles over the past two seasons. At 6 feet, 224 pounds, he doesn’t have ideal length or speed, but he has excellent instincts and plays with smarts and energy. He’s an experienced special teams player, too.
Jayson Jones, DT, Auburn: Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta vowed to add more big bodies inside, and Jones, who is 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, is your prototypical space-eating nose tackle who could find a spot in the defensive line rotation. He played one season at Oregon and three at Auburn, accumulating 84 tackles, four tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks.
Chandler Martin, ILB, Memphis: After transferring to Memphis from East Tennessee State, Martin led the Tigers in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks over the past two seasons. He totaled 10 sacks and 33 tackles for loss in the last two years, and he was the defensive MVP of Memphis’ 2024 bowl game victory. Martin can be undisciplined in his playing style, but his 4.54 speed makes up for some mistakes.
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Other Power 4 prospects
Jahmal Banks, WR, Nebraska: Banks returns to the area after starring in high school at football powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound receiver had a productive run at Wake Forest and then transferred to Nebraska. In his lone season there, he led the Cornhuskers with 587 receiving yards to go with his 44 catches and three touchdowns. Banks’ sister, Kyerra Martin, was a volleyball player at Bowie State in Maryland.
Xavier Guillory, WR, Arizona State: Guillory started his career at Idaho State and ended it at Arizona State, catching 22 passes for 339 yards and five touchdowns in 2024. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound receiver plays for the memory of his father, Raphael, who died of colon cancer when Guillory was 19. Guillory is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, a tribal nation in Idaho.
Desmond Igbinosun, S, Rutgers: An experienced player who saw action in 41 college games and started 29, Igbinosun posted 186 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and two sacks. He set the Rutgers individual game Big Ten record with four tackles for loss in a 2023 win against Michigan State. The New Jersey native is 6-foot-2, 223 pounds.
Marcus Major, RB, Minnesota: After spending five seasons at Oklahoma, Major logged a graduate year at Minnesota and rushed for 352 yards and three touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 144 yards and a score. He’s 6 feet, 213 pounds and has 4.61 speed.
Marquise Robinson, CB, Arkansas: The Mississippi native played one season at Arkansas after starting his college career at South Alabama. He had one interception and seven pass breakups for the Razorbacks in 2024. He had three interceptions during his previous season at South Alabama. He’s 6-foot-2, 192 pounds and has 4.45 speed.
Small(er) program hopefuls
Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, OT, Oregon State: Nicknamed “The Tank” because of his size (6-foot-8, 315 pounds) and wingspan (85 3/8 inches), Christian-Lichtenhan started 12 games at left tackle for Oregon State last year. He played the previous three seasons at Colorado, protecting Shedeur Sanders’ blindside in 2023. He was ranked as the draft’s 29th-best tackle by Brugler. Christian-Lichtenhan is limited athletically, but he improved throughout his college career.
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Diwun Black, OLB, Temple: He helped Mississippi Gulf Coast to the 2019 NJCAA national championship and started his college career at Florida. Black played his final two seasons at Temple, where he had 6 1/2 sacks, four forced fumbles and 52 tackles. He’s 6-foot-4, 246 pounds.
Reid Holskey, G/T, Miami (Ohio): He played a ton of football at Miami (Ohio), starting 53 of 54 games at right tackle and another at left tackle. The 6-foot-6, 302-pound lineman was a first-team All-MAC player last year and Miami’s Offensive Power Player of the Year. He was a second-team All-MAC performer in 2023, when Miami won a MAC championship. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is a Miami (Ohio) alum.
Ozzie Hutchinson, OT, Albany: The Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native was an All-CAA honoree last season despite playing in just six games. A plantar fascia issue in his foot and a high ankle sprain marred his final college season and prevented him from gaining a lot of traction with NFL scouts. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound former Great Dane can play both guard and tackle.
Keondre Jackson, S, Illinois State: A no-star recruit out of Illinois, Jackson initially enrolled at Nebraska-Kearney but returned home to play for the Redbirds. He was a highly productive three-year starter who had 225 career tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, 13 pass breakups and five interceptions. He performed well on the college all-star circuit. One of 14 children, Jackson projects to be a box safety/special-teamer at the next level.
Reuben Lowery, CB, Chattanooga: A five-year starter at Chattanooga and a two-time All-Southern Conference selection, Lowery compiled 166 tackles, 15 pass breakups and three interceptions in 46 career games. The Georgia native’s last college season was his best, as he finished with 62 tackles, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. He’s 5-foot-9, 204 pounds and has 4.45 speed.
Sone Ntoh, RB, Monmouth: A year after former Monmouth undrafted running back Owen Wright made a strong bid to make the Ravens’ roster before breaking his foot in the preseason finale, Ntoh will attempt to do the same. At 5-foot-11, 235 pounds, he was a short-yardage back, piling up a school-record 25 rushing touchdowns last year and leading the FCS with 26 total scores. Ntoh played three seasons at Harvard and graduated from the school in 2023.
Jared Penning, OT, Northern Iowa: The younger brother of Trevor Penning, a 2022 first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints, Jared was an All-Missouri Valley Conference performer at Northern Iowa. He showed off his versatility, playing guard early in his career and then moving out to the tackle spots. At 6-foot-5, 319 pounds, Penning is known as a physical run blocker.
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Sam Pitz, TE, Minnesota Duluth: The big tight end (6-foot-6, 248 pounds) had a nice run with the Bulldogs, scoring 17 touchdowns in 44 career college games. He was named a Division III All-American last year, just the ninth player in program history to achieve that honor. He was also a four-time all-conference selection.
(Photo of Jay Higgins: Julia Hansen / Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA Today)
This news was originally published on this post .
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