Ravens’ undrafted rookies have emotional reactions to making 53-man roster

Owings Mills, Md. – Jay Higgins IV, an Iowa -free interior inside, lunch Tuesday at the Baltimore Ravens cafeteria when he pressed his shoulder. The director general of Ravens, Eric Decosta, wanted to speak with him.

It was the day Baltimore had to reduce his list to 53 players, and Higgins felt his heart rate increased while he was walking in the corridor to the Decosta office. When Decosta announced the news that he made the Ravens list, Higgins simply leaned with his head in front of the ground.

“I was just dizzy when he said to me,” said Higgins after Wednesday training. “I was so surprised.”

Higgins’ reaction was among the strengths of a Ravens video that captured the reactions of three unrelated recruits that overcome the steep challenge to make a list of 53 men from the NFL. In four months, Higgins, the Keyon Martin corner half and the Reuben LowerS security went from discouragement not to be selected in the draft of the NFL to the joy of winning a place on the list of a Super Bowl pretender.

Higgins’ family has put the video in a group cat. The secondary coach, Tyler Santucci, played the video in the meeting room.

“We celebrate everyone, just to see the surprise on our faces and how happy we were,” said Higgins.

Martin’s road was the most difficult of everyone. Coming from Louisiana-Lafayette, he had no offer after he was not drafted and he received a call for a test.

“It was quite hard for me. I’m not going to lie, going out just after the project, realizing that no one was going to sign me,” said Martin. “But once I had this call about the [Ravens] Minicamp recruit, I agree, “it’s on me now”. So I knew that if I wanted to come and do what I really wanted to do in the NFL, I just had to go out here and prove it. “”

In the second pre-season match, Martin recorded security. In the third, he returned an interception for a touchdown.

“Each day, I enter this building, I know that I beat the chances,” said Martin. “So I really appreciate the trip.”

Dreams become a reality.

Eric DECOSTA surprises three unlikely recruits with a news that they have made the list of 53 men. 🥹 🥹 pic.twitter.com/8rf2shoqoz

– Baltimore Ravens (@ravens) August 27, 2025

What the Ravens cameras did not capture is an exchange between Martin and LowerY in a stairwell. Lowery descended after receiving the good news he had made the team, and Martin was heading for the Decosta office.

“We didn’t even have to say words. It was just a big hug,” said LowerY. “It was like a cinema moment, honestly.”

Lowery always remembers how he waited an hour after the end of the draft to receive his only call from a team from the NFL. The Ravens gave him a one -year contract that included any signature bonus.

But Lowery did not have time to appreciate the moment when he made the Ravens.

“It is difficult to confuse you honestly at the moment because your brain, especially in the camp, has been so focused on work, work, work, work,” said LowerY. “But one day, I’m certainly going to look at it and be like,” wow, it’s crazy. “”

Lowery was on the dean list in Tennessee-Chattanooga and has a mechanical engineering diploma. So was it more difficult to graduate or do the ravens?

“It’s a good question,” said LowerY. “I would say [the Ravens]Just because it’s a new atmosphere, these are new people. Mechanical genius is difficult, but you are simply going to a classroom every day and you find it. But “playing like a crow” means something here. “”