Ravens and Lamar Jackson Mourn Elijah Berman, a Rising Star They Hoped to Welcome

Baltimore, MD – June 25, 2025

The Baltimore Ravens are grieving the tragic loss of 17-year-old high school standout Elijah Berman, who passed away following a devastating traffic accident in Ohio on June 24. Berman, a senior at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton and a recent Eastern Michigan commit, was widely regarded as one of the most instinctive young defenders in the Midwest — and a name firmly on Baltimore’s 2026 radar.

“This one hits deep,” a Ravens scouting assistant shared anonymously. “We were tracking Elijah closely. He had the mindset, the toughness, the football IQ — all of it. He wasn’t just a future Raven in our eyes, he was someone who could’ve become a locker-room cornerstone.”

At 6’2”, 220 pounds, Berman was a hybrid linebacker-safety who racked up explosive numbers in his junior and senior campaigns. But beyond the stats was a leader, a mentor, and a young man committed to giving everything to the game and the people around him.

The accident, which occurred near I‑75 in Franklin, Ohio, took place just days after Elijah made national headlines for accepting a scholarship offer to Eastern Michigan — the first major step in a journey he’d worked his entire life to earn. That journey was cut tragically short.

“Elijah embodied the exact type of player and person we value in Baltimore — driven, selfless, and fearless,” a team rep stated. “Our hearts are with his family, his teammates, and the entire Dayton football community.”

Though he never donned the purple and black, Berman had already captured the spirit of Ravens football. His ability to diagnose plays, his sideline-to-sideline motor, and his humility made him not only a future pro but a future difference-maker.

Fans, players, and coaches from across the country have joined in honoring his legacy, and inside the Ravens facility, Elijah’s name is spoken with solemn respect — not for what he achieved, but for what he could have become.

From Baltimore to Dayton, from rookies to legends, we mourn the loss of a Raven we never got to meet — but will never forget.

Rest in peace, Elijah Berman. You were one of us.