Raven Country

Iowa LB Named Ravens UDFA to Watch

The Baltimore Ravens could see a linebacker make their team through undrafted free agency.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 18, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end Joe Evans (13) gestures during the
Nov 18, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end Joe Evans (13) gestures during the / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
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Every team has a few undrafted free agents worth looking out for, including the Baltimore Ravens.

The Athletic identified one undrafted free agent on each team worth watching and chose Iowa linebacker Joe Evans for the Ravens.

"If Evans (6-1, 246) stood 2 inches taller or weighed 25 pounds more, a team would have grabbed him by the fourth round,” The Athletic writes. “At his pro day, Evans posted a 41.5-inch vertical, and his shuttle and three-cone times were faster than any edge at the combine. He finished his Iowa career with 29 sacks, including four in the Citrus Bowl. He’s a John Harbaugh type of player.”

The Ravens led the NFL with 60 sacks last season, but the team lost two of its top five sack leaders in free agency. Jadeveon Clowney went to his hometown Carolina Panthers, while Patrick Queen shocked the league by joining the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens have 13 sacks to replenish between the two of them, and it will have to come from a new source.

The team drafted pass rusher Adisa Isaac in the third round, and he’ll be expected to fill that gap, but Evans shouldn’t be counted out just because he went undrafted. There’s a legitimate chance he could make the roster and contribute to the Ravens this season.

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Jeremy Brener

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.