Joe Fagano and Ethan Burke found a way to beat the odds.
Both undrafted rookies earned a place on Baltimore's initial 53-man roster announced on Sunday by making each day count and consistently making plays.
Fagnano will be the No. 3 quarterback behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, as the Ravens will carry three quarterbacks on their opening roster for the first time since 2020.
Burke, a consistent playmaker all summer, will join Trey Hendrickson, Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, and Zion Young in the outside linebacker room. Burke beat out Adisa Isaac, a former third-round pick, for the spot.
At least one undrafted rookie has made Baltimore's initial 53 in 22 of the last 23 years, with the lone exception being 2020. Finding undrafted gems is part of the Ravens' DNA, and Fagnano and Burke played as if they belonged.
Fagnano never seemed worried about being a longshot to make the roster, looking like a veteran quarterback whenever his number was called during three preseason games. He led the NFL with 509 passing yards during the preseason and completed 74.7% of his passes. Poised in the pocket and accurate, Fagnano convinced the Ravens he was too good to let go.
"To his credit, he has put it on tape," Head Coach Jesse Minter said after Friday's 41-3 preseason victory over the Washington Commanders. "He has been really consistent. He has played a certain way almost all three games."
It has been a magical few months for Fagnano, who played the last three seasons at UConn after starting his college career at Maine. Being in an NFL environment never seems too big for him, and now, he's in the big-time.
"My goal was to just make the most of my opportunities, control what I can and then let the chips fall where they may," Fagnano said Friday. "Again, I can go to sleep tonight knowing that I did everything that I could, and that was my goal."
Burke seemed to gain confidence as the stakes got higher. Over the final two preseason games, the 6-foot-6, 257-pound former standout at Texas had two forced fumbles, four tackles, two passes defensed, and a sack.
Instead of worrying about the roster competition, Burke didn't focus on where he stood. He focused on standing out.
"I have just learned so much throughout training camp, and I thought tonight was a good way to finish," Burke said after Friday's 41-3 preseason win over the Washington Commanders. "One thing I know is [to] just keep working hard and doing what I do and consistently chasing getting better and being great."
Burke will be part of the outside linebacker rotation and will also contribute on special teams. His knack for being around the football and forcing turnovers made an impression on the coaching staff that helped secure his spot.
Perhaps playing for the Ravens was Burke's destiny, because his family has strong ties to the state of Maryland. He grew up in Pasadena, Md., and was originally committed to play lacrosse at the University of Maryland before focusing on football at the University of Texas.
Making the roster is an accomplishment, but it's only a beginning. Burke has bonded with his new teammates and feels the best is yet to come.
"In the locker room, we have fun together — a lot of these young guys have gotten tight," Burke said. "Just going out there playing, being like, 'Screw it, let's just go out and play our game.' I think you see that even in the preseason with the guys getting acclimated to the system and growing into that role and playing like a Raven.
"I can't be satisfied with anything. So, for me, I will just put my head down [and] continue to grind, no matter what happens."
