Beau Brade Earned His Spot on Ravens' Roster

Beau Brade was an undrafted free agent before signing with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason.

Nathaniel Marrero | Aug 31, 2024

Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Billy Kemp IV (1) against Maryland Terrapins defensive back Beau Brade (2) during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

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Baltimore Ravens

Every football player's dream is to one day make it to the NFL.

Not only did Beau Brade defy the odds by making an NFL team's roster as an undrafted free agent, he did it for his hometown team.

Brade, who is from Clarksville, MD. and played Collegiately at Maryland, was around the ball all preseason, totaling 14 tackles across three games. After wrapping up their preseason slate, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta complimented Brade on his play, though, the rookie safety was still on pins and needles over where he stood ahead of roster cuts.

Then, Brade got the news of a lifetime when DeCosta informed him he would be one of the 53 players on the Ravens' roster entering this season. His dream of one day suiting up for the Ravens and playing for the same franchise he grew up rooting for became a reality.

"It was a dream," Brade said on Friday. "Every kid around here, if you were a Ravens fan, you dreamed to be on the Ravens. I grew up watching Ray Lewis [and] Ed Reed. I was watching the Super Bowl [in 2012]. I was born in 2002, so after 2009 to now, I've just been watching the Ravens; I've been a fan of them. It's been a dream."

By making the Ravens' roster, Brade continued the Ravens' streak of having an undrafted free agent making the final 53-man roster in 20 of the last 21 seasons. While Baltimore has made a habit of finding undrafted free agents capable of playing in the NFL, Brade's accomplishment is one that Ravens head coach John Harbaugh believes can't be understated.

"He's an undrafted free agent who just made an NFL football team," Harbaugh said. "That's a big deal. And he did it the hard way, he earned it. He made plays, and he's very diligent, and he's going to get his opportunity this season to play some NFL football, and I think he's going to do very well."

Brade being one of the Ravens' 53 players wasn't an accident, though. His consistency and approach throughout training camp and the preseason impressed DeCosta and earned him his spot.

"The reality is, Beau actually just played great, and he did it consistently," DeCosta said on Thursday. "He won the job. He took the job. And in the end, he deserved being on the team, and that's what it was all about."

Brade's story is one that many athletes dream of accomplishing. He went from not being drafted and potentially having his football future in doubt to earning his way onto his hometown team.

Brade doesn't just want the dream to stop here, though. Now, it's about taking the opportunity and maximizing it.

"It's been better than I could have ever expected, and [it's] just a dream come true," Brade said. "I've got to make the most of it."

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Published Aug 31, 2024

NATHANIEL MARRERO