As the seventh round of the NFL Draft came to an end, Jay Higgins' phone began to buzz.
However, it wasn't the call he had been waiting for all weekend. It was the Ravens saying that if he didn't get picked, they wanted him.
Despite being a two-time All-American linebacker at Iowa, Higgins didn't hear his name called in the 2025 draft. It was a disappointing weekend for Higgins, but he quickly signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent.
Higgins got his shot, and he knows that's all that matters now.
"It was a long day," Higgins said at Ravens rookie minicamp. "[I] got really close with the family [that day]. [My] girlfriend was there, mom and dad, sister were there. Extremely vulnerable experience, to say the least.
"But if I would have got drafted or not, when you report to minicamp, you start from ground zero. For the guys who got drafted, who had good college careers, the moment they stepped out on the field, it's fair game. Being an undrafted free agent, I understand that. I know I got to go in, prove things. Nothing's going to be given to me."
Higgins spent his entire five-year career at Iowa and was a starter the past two seasons. In 2023, his first full season in the lineup, Higgins led the FBS with 171 tackles. Then he followed it up with a 124-tackle season in which he also led the Hawkeyes with four interceptions.
The production wasn't a question, but Higgins' 6-foot stature and 4.82-second 40-yard dash raised some questions during the pre-draft process. It all resulted in Higgins wearing purple, and he's glad to be a Raven despite the difficult journey.
"Extremely happy to be here," he said. "Obviously, the draft day, all three days, didn't go as planned, but super fortunate to have the opportunity to come to Baltimore with so much defensive history.
"The linebackers that play here, that played here in the past, I think it's a good fit for me. Just how I operate, my mindset, and how they operate defensively. So I think we're a good match, and I'm kind of happy things turned out the way they did."
Baltimore has a strong history of undrafted rookies making the 53-man roster, including Defensive Coordinator and former All-Pro linebacker Zach Orr. With key linebackers Malik Harrison and Chris Board (another former Ravens rookie free agent) departing in free agency, Higgins will have an opportunity to make his mark with a strong summer.
He will also get to learn from one of the game's top linebackers in Roquan Smith, something Higgins benefited from in college by playing behind future first-round pick Jack Campbell.
While his journey to the NFL was different than anticipated, Higgins is ready to make the most of his opportunity as a Raven.
"I'll definitely try to learn a lot, I feel like I'm a pretty good listener," he said. "Obviously, Roquan, what he's doing is pretty special. I mean, just the two days I've been here, obviously, we're watching tape and it seems that him and Kyle Hamilton and all those dudes are flying around.
"To be a part of that defense, you got to be ready. I'm going to soak it all in and hopefully get as close as possible to him (Smith) and learn what I can learn."
