PFF named former Iowa Hawkeyes All-American linebacker Jay Higgins the one Ravens undrafted free agent to watch for the 2025 NFL season
After selecting 11 players in the 2025 NFL draft, Baltimore added 17 undrafted free agents to an already loaded roster. The Ravens have few holes on the roster, but suffered losses at the linebacker position, and they will look to have someone push Trenton Simpson.
Baltimore has a positive history with undrafted free agents, and Pro Football Focus recently examined one player to watch from all 32 NFL teams.
For the Ravens, it was a former All-Big 10 star at Iowa who could make his presence felt.
The Ravens’ linebacker depth chart behind Roquan Smith is a mix of unproven talent and rookie hopefuls. Trenton Simpson has yet to show he deserves the starting nod (58.7 PFF overall grade in 2024), perhaps opening the door for Higgins, fourth-round draft pick Teddye Buchanan or free-agent signing Jake Hummel to win the job.
Higgins was the fourth-most-valuable Power Five linebacker this past season, per PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. He was also the FBS’ second-highest-graded linebacker in coverage (91.5), a potential boon to a Baltimore linebacker corps that allowed the sixth-highest passer rating in coverage in 2024 (111.6).
An All-American and All-Big 10 selection, Higgins (6-0, 224) started all 13 games in his final season with the Hawkeyes, totaling a team high 124 tackles (53 solo), including 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, nine passes defensed, and four interceptions.