Isaiah Likely Bio
Isaiah Leroy Likely (born April 17, 2000) is an American professional football tight end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He played college football for Coastal Carolina and was selected by the Ravens in the fourth round, 141st overall pick, of the 2022 NFL draft. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches and around 245 pounds, Likely has developed into one of the more productive young pass-catching tight ends in the league.
After spending his rookie season in a supporting role, Likely emerged as a starting-caliber playmaker beginning in 2023, filling in for injured veteran Mark Andrews and producing strong per-game numbers. His combination of size, reliable hands, and downfield speed has made him a key part of the Baltimore offense.
Early Life and Background
Isaiah Leroy Likely was born on April 17, 2000, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He grew up in the Cambridge area and attended Malden High School before transferring to Everett High School for his senior year. The move gave him a fresh setting to showcase his abilities as a senior.
As a junior at Malden, Likely caught 59 passes for 917 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, numbers that quickly established him as one of the more productive receiving tight ends in the region. His size and catching radius already stood out at the high school level, drawing attention from college programs.
He completed his high school career in Everett and signed with Coastal Carolina University, a program in the Sun Belt Conference that had a track record of developing tight end prospects. That decision set the stage for a productive college career.
Path to American Football
Likely enrolled at Coastal Carolina and stepped onto the field as a freshman in 2018. In seven games that season, he caught 12 passes for 106 yards and five touchdowns, an early sign of the red-zone role he would fill in the Chanticleers offense.
As a sophomore in 2019, Likely posted 32 receptions for 431 receiving yards and five touchdowns, earning third-team All-Sun Belt Conference recognition. He closed that year with six receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 24–21 victory over Texas State.
His junior season in 2020 brought a larger role. Likely caught 30 passes for 601 yards and five touchdowns and was named first-team All-Sun Belt and a second-team All-American by Pro Football Focus. By the end of his college career, he had cemented himself as a top tight end prospect heading into the 2022 NFL draft.
Isaiah Likely Career
Early Career (2022)
The Baltimore Ravens selected Likely in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. He entered the league as a rookie tight end behind established starter Mark Andrews, working primarily as the second tight end on the depth chart while learning the pro game.
As a rookie, Likely appeared in 16 games with two starts and finished with 36 receptions for 373 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He caught his first NFL touchdown in a 27–22 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, and he closed the regular season with eight receptions for 103 receiving yards in the Week 18 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
NFL Breakthrough (2023)
Likely started slowly in 2023 while again working behind Andrews, but his role changed after Andrews suffered a severe ankle injury in the Ravens’ Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Stepping into the lead tight end role, Likely delivered a strong finish, recording 21 receptions for 322 yards and five touchdowns across the final six regular-season games.
His best performance of the year came in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams, when he posted five receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown in a 37–31 overtime win. He added his first career multi-touchdown game in Week 17, catching two passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns in a 56–19 rout of the Miami Dolphins. He finished 2023 with 30 receptions for 411 yards and five touchdowns.
Likely carried that momentum into the postseason. In the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans, he recorded two receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown in a 34–10 Baltimore win.
Baltimore Ravens Era (2024–Present)
In the 2024 season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Likely set a career high with 111 receiving yards on nine receptions and one touchdown, narrowly missing a potential game-winning score as time expired. He added two receiving touchdowns in a 41–38 overtime win over the Bengals in Week 5 and closed the regular season with 42 receptions for 477 yards and six touchdowns. He added a receiving touchdown in the Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The 2025 season began with a setback. On July 30, 2025, the Ravens announced that Likely would require surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot, ruling him out for roughly six weeks. He was not placed on injured reserve but missed Baltimore’s first three games before returning in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Across the early weeks of 2025, he has contributed modest receiving totals while working his way back into the offensive rotation.
Driving Style and Strengths
Likely plays with the frame of a traditional in-line tight end, but his value is built on the passing game. He is a smooth route runner for his size, can line up inline, in the slot, or split out wide, and has the long speed to stretch the seam. His reliable hands and ability to win in the red zone have made him a dependable target, especially on play-action concepts and intermediate crossers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Likely’s college highlight came during his senior year, when he tied the NCAA record for longest touchdown reception with a 99-yard catch against Arkansas State, a play that helped announce him as a serious NFL prospect. In the NFL, his career-best 111-yard game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of 2024 and his first multi-touchdown performance against the Dolphins in 2023 stand out as signature moments.
Isaiah Likely Career Wins
Across his time with the Baltimore Ravens, Likely has been part of a winning culture, contributing as a key piece of one of the AFC’s top offenses. While his personal statistical résumé is still being built, his on-field production has grown steadily since his rookie year.
NFL Highlights
Likely’s first NFL touchdown came in a 27–22 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8 of the 2022 season. He added a memorable overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14 of 2023 and a Divisional Round victory over the Houston Texans later that postseason, where he caught a touchdown. In 2024, he helped Baltimore to a 41–38 overtime win over the Bengals with two receiving touchdowns.
Other Wins & Performances
At Coastal Carolina, Likely was a two-time first-team All-Sun Belt selection and a second-team All-American by Pro Football Focus, and he led the Sun Belt in receiving touchdowns in 2021 with 12 scores. He tied the NCAA record for longest touchdown reception with a 99-yard catch during his senior season against Arkansas State.
Isaiah Likely Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Isaiah Likely’s parents and immediate family is limited. He grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and developed into a top regional tight end prospect in that area before heading to Coastal Carolina.
Personal Life
Details about Likely’s personal life, including marital status and children, are not publicly confirmed. He is focused on his professional career with the Baltimore Ravens.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began with a significant injury concern for Isaiah Likely, who required surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot in late July. He missed Baltimore’s first three games of the year but returned to the field in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, though he was not targeted in that contest.
As the season has progressed, Likely has steadily ramped up, posting modest but encouraging receiving lines, including a 60-yard outing on three catches in a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins. A Thanksgiving Week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals included a fumble at the goal line, a play the Ravens will look to clean up as the playoff push continues.
With Andrews healthy and the offense featuring one of the league’s most balanced attacks, Likely is positioned to settle into a meaningful complementary role for the remainder of 2025. Continued growth in his snap count and target share would reinforce his standing as a core part of Baltimore’s tight end group.