The Baltimore Ravens have a history of hitting on undrafted free agents. Some greats include recently retired nose tackle Michael Pierce, linebacker and now defensive coordinator Zach Orr, and kicker Justin Tucker. Even those who do not carve out successful careers have been strong depth pieces in Baltimore. In the last 20 years, 19 of those seasons have had at least one undrafted rookie make the initial 53-man roster.
Baltimore signed 17 undrafted free agents after the 2025 NFL Draft, but also made 11 picks across the seven-round event. It will be an uphill climb for the undrafted rookies to make the cut, with many other rookies having draft pick pedigree. The Ravens also have possibly the best roster in the league. There are very few roster spots open for the taking.
With training camp on the horizon, the battle for roster spots will get heated. It is a golden opportunity for the newcomers to prove themselves to the coaching staff and earn their trust before preseason. Here are two undrafted players who could capture a spot on the 53-man roster come September.
2 undrafted rookies who could land a roster spot
Jay Higgins
Linebacker Jay Higgins was one of the more notable free agents Baltimore signed. He starred on one of the better defenses at the collegiate level with the Iowa Hawkeyes, and it was a surprise to some to see him fall out of the draft entirely. However, landing in Charm City may have been his best-case scenario.
Linebacker is a position with a ton of question marks. Trenton Simpson is looking to prove his worth and claim the starting job, and rookie Teddye Buchanan is the only other real competitor for the role. Neither is a sure thing, though, which leaves the door open for Higgins.
Much of the reason Higgins went undrafted was due to his size and athleticism. He is undersized for the position and is not much of an athlete. He checks many of the other boxes, though. The 23-year-old has outstanding instincts and is a tremendous tackler. If he can flash early in training camp, he could quickly climb the depth chart.
Reuben Lowery
Cornerback Reuben Lowery came to Baltimore from a smaller school, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. At corner, the competition is as strong as an ox. It might be more troubling for him than any other rookie to cash in on his NFL dreams because of that. But, looking at his performance this offseason, he is leading the charge for rookie defensive backs.
The Ravens drafted two rookie corners, selecting Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam with two of their five sixth-round picks, but unlike those two, it sounds like Lowery has been a human highlight reel thus far. He has been flashing at corner and safety, tallying a few picks over the brief stint of offseason activities. If he can continue to show off his playmaking prowess, he could become a favorite to make the roster.
There will not be much room for error for Lowery. The already stacked corner room saw another star join the fray in two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander and 2022 fourth-round pick Jalyn Armour-Davis, who could have similar corner and safety versatility, has earned high praise as one of the team’s most intelligent players. The competition is tough, but with the way Lowery is playing, he is becoming hard to ignore.
Preseason will be the biggest test for the players looking to make the roster, but as training camp nears, they will need to turn up the intensity to get the coaches’ attention.