Ravens Second-Year Players Poised to Step Up During Critical Stretch

The Baltimore Ravens have had to lean on their young depth at key positions and underrated roles early and often in all three phases during what has been an arduous 2025 season. They will need to do so again during the most pivotal part of their schedule with back-to-back games against their top two rivals in the AFC North over the next couple of weeks.

Veteran running back Justice Hill is on injured reserve for at least another three games with a minor neck injury. Starting cornerback Nate Wiggins' status for this upcoming week's matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the rematch against the Cincinnati Bengals that follows is to be determined as he is dealing with a foot injury and is considered "day-to-day", according to head coach John Harbaugh. Although he was present, participating, and moving well during position drills on the first day of practice.

Two players primed to assume larger roles at their positions are a pair of Day 3 picks from the 2024 NFL Draft who have been grinding on special teams and earned the opportunity to rise to the occasion.

When Hill was ruled out and placed on short-term IR ahead of the Ravens' Thanksgiving matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, it was widely assumed that third-year pro Keaton Mitchell would take on a larger role, but he was on the field for only eight offensive snaps. However, leading all Ravens running backs in total offensive snaps played was second-year pro Rasheen Ali with a career-high 29.

The 2024 fifth-rounder out of Marshall was trusted to be the Ravens' primary passing-down and two-minute offense backfield option of the bunch. While he didn't catch any passes or was even targeted once, he had some very nice reps on pass protection, picking up blitzes and helping out offensive linemen with chip-blocks. Ali also carried the ball four times for 17 rushing yards with a long of nine.

"He played really well," head coach John Harbaugh said. "The plays that he was in, he got the job done. He pass protected well. He ran his routes well. He chipped well. He had one run where I thought he was tentative on. He could have hit it up in there in the A gap on a third-and-medium, I think it was, so he played well."

In the Ravens' Week 11 over the Cleveland Browns, Ali finally got to put some of his pass-catching prowess on display when he recorded his first career reception on his third-ever target and moved the chains on a third-and-long with a 15-yard catch and run.

The Ravens got an early 3rd Down conversion on this flip to Rasheen Ali from Lamar Jackson against a 4 Man Rush.#Ravens #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/zPjN2hy0mr
— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) November 16, 2025

On the other side of the ball, cornerback T.J. Tampa, would was selected in the fourth round of last year's draft out of Iowa State, has flashed promising playmaking potential when called upon this season.

Even if Wiggins does wind up playing against the Steelers this upcoming week, the Ravens might want to have him rotate with his fellow second-year pro to reduce the workload and risk of reaggravation of his injury, as lower extremity injuries at skill positions such as corner have a tendency of doing just that.

Despite having only played just 125 defensive snaps this season and not seeing the field for more than 8 snaps since Week 6, Tampa's opposing passer rating allowed of 68.8, per NFL Pro, is the highest on the team. In the Ravens' last two games, he recorded his first career interception against the New York Jets and had an impressive rep in 1-on-1 coverage of Ja'Marr Chase in the loss to the Bengals.

T.J. TAMPA's FIRST CAREER PICK!!!!!!!!!!!@Tamp1A

Back in action Thursday NBC at 8:20! pic.twitter.com/AzZef50LUz
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 23, 2025

"I thought T.J. came in and played well," Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. "He had a pass breakup in the end zone right before the [end of the first] half. He had the one P.I. where he grabbed a guy where he probably didn't need to."

Special teams paved the way for new opportunities

Baltimore Ravens cornerback T.J. Tampa (27) in action during the game against the Dallas Cowboys in the preseason. — Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback T.J. Tampa (27) in action during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Neither Ali nor Tampa were projected to have significant roles coming into this season outside of developmental depth, which meant that in order to continue earning their stripes and push for playing time on their respective sides of the ball, they had to shine in the third phase of the game.

There wasn't a guarantee that Ali would even make the final roster cuts, but he played his way into cementing a spot during the preseason by balling out on special teams. He starts on almost every unit when he's active and despite being a healthy scratch for two games, leads the team in kick return yards by a wide margin with 606 in 10 games that includes an average of 25.3 and a long of 43. He has also recorded seven total tackles on coverage units, including 5 solos.

"We love him overall as a special teams player because he can do so much more than just being a returner," Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton said. "He's really good in coverage. He plays all over the field, and I'm excited to have him back out there."

Tampa has been a staple on kick and punt coverage units and has been instrumental in helping limit the return opportunities on both, including making the tackles on the first two boots of punter Jordan Stout's historical performance against the Jets. He not only leads the Ravens with 12 total tackles on special teams, but his 11 solo tackles in that phase of the game are the second-most in the NFL, according to TeamRankings.com, second to only Denver Broncos defensive back Devon Key, who leads the league with 13.

As a former long-time special teams coordinator, Harbaugh values the contributions in that unheralded aspect of the game more than most of his contemporaries around the league. The best way for his young players who aren't top 100 picks to get on his good side and earn both favor and playing time is to ball out and produce, covering, blocking for or returning kicks and punts, which Ali and Tampa have done this year at a high level.

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