Jay Higgins

Roy Jebaz "Jay" Higgins IV^[1] (born February 14, 2002) is an American professional football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Jay Higgins

Higgins with Iowa in 2023
No. 49 – Baltimore Ravens
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(2002-02-14) February 14, 2002 (age 23) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Brebeuf Jesuit Prep (Indianapolis, Indiana)
College:	Iowa (2020–2024)
NFL draft:	2025: undrafted
Career history
Baltimore Ravens (2025–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Big Ten Linebacker of the Year (2024) Unanimous All-American (2024) First-team All-Big Ten (2023, 2024)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Higgins was born on February 14, 2002, and attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. Higgins committed to play college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.^[2][3]

College career

As a freshman in 2020 Higgins notched just two tackles.^[4] In 2021, he totaled five tackles and a fumble recovery.^[5] In week 9 of the 2022 season, Higgins recorded a career-high 11 tackles versus Northwestern.^[6] He finished the season with 39 tackles with one and half going for a loss, and half a sack.^[7] Higgins tallied 16 tackles in the 2023 season opener against Utah State.^[8] In week 4, he notched a career-high 18 tackles versus Penn State.^[9] Higgins was a semifinalist for the 2023 Butkus Award and a first-team all-Big Ten Conference selection by both the coaches and the media.^[10][11] In 2024, Higgins was again named first team all-Big Ten and won the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year.^[12]

College statistics

Iowa Hawkeyes
Season	Tackles				Sacks	Fumbles		INT
	Solo	Ast	Total	TFL	Total	FF	FR	INT	PD
2020	2	0	2	0.0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2021	3	2	5	0.0	0.0	0	1	0	0
2022	20	19	39	2.0	0.5	0	0	0	0
2023	79	92	171	5.0	2.0	1	2	1	4
2024	53	71	124	3.0	1.0	2	1	4	5
Totals	157	184	341	10.0	3.5	3	4	5	9

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
6 ft 0+1⁄8 in (1.83 m)	224 lb (102 kg)	31 in (0.79 m)	9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m)	4.82 s	1.64 s	2.79 s	4.35 s	7.01 s	33.0 in (0.84 m)	9 ft 2 in (2.79 m)	20 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[13][14]

Higgins signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2025.^[15]