From Brebeuf to the Ravens: Jay Higgins Comes Home to Lucas Oil Stadium

Second-year Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jay Higgins is returning to Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, and he will not lack for support. Roughly 100 family members and friends, dressed in Ravens apparel, will fill Section 608 to watch the Indianapolis-area product play professionally in his hometown for the first time.

It is the third time Higgins has played at the downtown Indianapolis venue, having reached it at each level of football. He appeared there as a Brebeuf Jesuit sophomore in the 2017 Class 3A state championship, and again with Iowa in the 2021 and 2023 Big Ten championship games.

An Unlikely Path

Higgins’ road to the NFL was far from conventional. He set a Brebeuf school record with 471 career tackles, yet drew only one Power Four scholarship offer — from Iowa — arriving just as he was headed for a visit to Toledo. He made the most of the opportunity, leading the nation with 171 tackles in 2023 and earning first-team All-American honors in 2024 after recording 124 tackles and four interceptions.

Despite that production, Higgins went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. He signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent that May, but his roster spot was not confirmed until late August, when general manager Eric DeCosta delivered the news in a meeting captured on video and shared across the team’s social media channels. In the clip, DeCosta praised Higgins’ relentless approach and suggested nothing should limit his longevity at the professional level.

Roy Higgins, Jay’s father and early coach, said the undrafted experience gave his son extra motivation and drew the family closer together. He also credited his wife, Shelly, for prioritizing Brebeuf’s academics, and Jay’s older sister Royce — a Division I volleyball player at Mississippi Valley State — for modeling what it takes to compete at that level.

Market Note

Higgins played his college career at Iowa wearing gear from Under Armour (NYSE: UAA), the official apparel supplier of the Hawkeyes. Shares of Under Armour closed at $5.11 recently, up 4.5% from the prior close of $4.89, valuing the apparel manufacturer at roughly $2.25 billion.

What to watch

• Whether Higgins sees defensive snaps Sunday against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
• The Ravens’ upcoming injury and depth reports, which shape playing time for undrafted players.
• Under Armour’s next quarterly earnings report, relevant to its collegiate apparel partnerships.

Source: original release