Michael Pierce may not have been a household name outside Baltimore, but Ravens fans know exactly how important he was to this franchise.
Undrafted out of Samford, Pierce clawed his way onto the roster, carved out a role, and became one of the most dependable run-stuffers in football. His retirement leaves a massive void... literally—not just on the field, but in the culture of Baltimore’s defensive front.
The Ravens have long prided themselves on finding hidden gems where others aren’t looking. That brings us to Nash Hutmacher, the undrafted Nebraska defensive lineman who might just be the next name in that legacy.
He’s not Pierce yet. But the blueprint is eerily familiar.
Nash Hutmacher has a shot to become the next Michael Pierce success story in Baltimore
Hutmacher arrives in Baltimore with little fanfare but plenty of potential. Like Pierce, he’s an interior clogger by trade—more of a brawler than a pass-rushing technician. He’s not going to post flashy sack numbers or beat guards with bend. But if you need someone to hold the line of scrimmage and eat double teams like they’re pancakes? He’s got your attention.
And just like Pierce, Hutmacher went undrafted, despite being the kind of player who checks all the Ravens’ boxes: toughness, leverage, technique, and effort. As Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski pointed out, “Hutmacher could realistically replace Ravens nose tackle Travis Jones, who is a free agent after this season.”
Even if that’s a bit premature, the path is there. In his way will be Day 3 pick Aeneas Peebles out of Virginia Tech. He's a bit undersized, but explosive and more of an interior rusher than a bruiser like Hutmacher.
Pierce earned his way with consistency and grit—showing up in training camp, outworking veterans, and gradually becoming indispensable. Hutmacher’s ceiling might not be as high as Travis Jones', but it doesn’t have to be. If he can mirror Pierce’s arc—make the roster, grow into a rotational role, then start anchoring down the line—he’ll be another undrafted win for Eric DeCosta and Baltimore’s front office.
Clearly, no one is handing him anything. But that’s the point. That’s exactly how it started for Pierce, too.
The bar is high, but the opportunity is real. And if Hutmacher embraces that same relentless mentality? He might just be the next UDFA Ravens fans can’t imagine this defense without.