Baltimore Ravens draft former Rutgers football CB Robert Longerbeam

Yahoo

26-04-2025

There's no shortage of defensive backs who have gone from playing with Rutgers football to the NFL.
Now there's one more.
Cornerback Robert Longerbeam, who played in 53 games and made 31 starts while with the Scarlet Knights, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens with the 212nd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday.
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Longerbeam during his time with Rutgers had 154 tackles (4.5 for loss) with two sacks, five interceptions and 37 pass breakups.
Initially committed to Virginia Tech as part of the 2020 recruiting class, Longerbeam flipped to Rutgers following the hiring of coach Greg Schiano.
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Robert Longerbeam (7) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Greg Schiano has sent multiple DBs to the next level – including Jason and Devin McCourty and Max Melton, who was drafted in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals last season – and was confident Longerbeam could be next.
He was right.
What Robert Longerbeam will bring to the Baltimore Ravens
'Robert's been a great football player for us,' Schiano said at the program's Pro Day in March. 'He is a guy that understands the game of football inside and out. He's got really good physical abilities. He's getting bigger as he gets older and that's going to help him be more durable in that league. But without a doubt he's a really good cornerback and he's done so much for our program. Really just a very, very intelligent football player.'
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One of Longerbeam's strengths is his speed, something he's going to need at the next level.
He had a chance to put that speed on display in front of NFL talent evaluators when he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
While the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Longerbeam might lack some of the physical size pro teams look for, he can make up for it with athleticism and skill in the right situations.
"He's plenty tall and long," Schiano said. "He's got to keep putting the weight on. It's a physical game that you coach and play. He's doing that. You can see his progress as he's trained just for this, without having to worry about school or those things. He's put on a solid six or seven pounds. He'll continue to do that as he matures physical. As far as a football player goes, he's been tremendous."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Robert Longerbeam: Baltimore Ravens take Rutgers CB in NFL Draft