Raven Country

Ravens GM Helps Small-School LB Earn Tryout

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta shares a unique connection with a rookie minicamp invitee.
Jon Alfano|
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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It's not very often that Baltimroe Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta meets someone from his alma mater in this line of work.

DeCosta, 54, attended Colby College, a private school in Maine with only around 2,300 current students. Competing in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) at the Division III level, Colby College of course doesn't have many NFL hopefuls.

However, there is one in this year's rookie class in linebacker Julian Young, who impressed Ravens scouts at the University of Maine's pro day last month. After the 2025 NFL Draft concluded, DeCosta called him to personally invite him to the Ravens' rookie minicamp next week.

"I'm not nervous. I'm ready. I'm telling you, I'm ready," Young said on the call. "Thank you. I'll earn it."

A Manaplan, New Jersey native, Young impressed throughout his time in college with 260 total tackles over the past three years. He also had 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season, and he was named the team's defensive player of the year.

Young has good size at 6-foot-1 and 234 pounds, which scouts definitely noticed at the aforementioned pro day. That said, the feeling of receiving that call from DeCosta was unlike any other.

“It was just a flood of emotions,” Young told CentralMaine.com. “All I wanted was an opportunity from somebody, whether that was the NFL, the CFL or something overseas.… Being a linebacker at Colby, (DeCosta) has been in my shoes and in my position, and I’m forever grateful for him for giving me that opportunity.”

Young isn't the only NESCAC product to attend the Ravens' rookie minicamp. Joining him are Middlebury offensive lineman Thomas Perry and Weslyan wide receiver Logan Tomlinson. They'll have to earn their spot, but the opportunity is incredibly exciting on its own.

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

Jon is a lead writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI and contributes to other sites around the network as well. The Tampa native previously worked with sites such as ClutchPoints and GiveMeSport and earned his journalism degree at the University of Central Florida.

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