​It will not be difficult to find Jay Higgins’ cheering section on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.Look for 100 people wearing Baltimore Ravens’ gear in Section 608.“When the schedule did come out it was like, ‘Wow, he’s coming home,’” said Higgins’ father, Roy Higgins. “‘We’re going down the street to see our baby.’ There are a lot of people who never had the chance to see him play at Iowa who said, ‘I want to go to this one.’ It’s very exciting for our family – one of the biggest moments of Jay’s career.”Jay Higgins, a second-year Ravens’ linebacker, beat the odds to make this trip back to Lucas Oil Stadium for the third time at all three levels of football. He did it with Brebeuf Jesuit as a sophomore in high school in 2017 for the Class 3A state championship, then made it back with Iowa in 2021 and ‘23 for the Big Ten championship games.There were doubts. Higgins set a school record for career tackles at Brebeuf with 471 but had just one offer from Power Four program. He was on his way to a visit at Toledo, just 20 miles outside the city, when Iowa called to offer a scholarship.“All you need is one,” Roy Higgins said. “That’s what (Iowa assistant Kelvin Bell) always tells recruits. All you need is that one offer. It might look good to have 13 offers and put that picture up, but all you need is one.”The 2020 Brebeuf graduate made good on that offer, leading the nation on tackles in 2023 with 171 tackles. He was first-team All-American in 2024 with 124 tackles and four interceptions. But despite that college production, Higgins went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft.“It definitely put a chip on his shoulder,” Roy Higgins said. “The whole undrafted experience was very emotional for our family. It brought everybody closer together during that time. But it does go to show everybody that 3A, 2A, 1A, it doesn’t matter. If you put in the work, you can reach your goals. There’s a path that can be created in your own way.”Jay Higgins signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in May of 2025. But it was not until late August when Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta brought Higgins to his office and presented him with a jersey that Higgins knew he made the team.The video of Higgins receiving the news from DeCosta was posted on the Ravens’ social media channels.“You’re one of the rare guys that never takes a moment off, never takes a play off, never takes a day off,” DeCosta told Higgins. “We’re proud of you. It’s hard, man. It’s hard to make this team and it’s really hard to make this team as an undrafted guy. But there is no reason why you can’t be a player in the NFL for 15 years the way you play.”Later in the video, Higgins called his father and let him know the good news. Roy Higgins, on the other end of the line, was overcome with emotions. “Let me call you back,” he responded.“I started praising God and then started calling half the world,” Roy