Scouting Jalen Ramsey: Cowboys Pre-Combine Analysis
By Reid Hanson
Jalen Ramsey, the draft’s highest rated defensive back, has been a mainstay atop draft boards this winter.
Florida State CB/S, Jalen Ramsey, is widely regarded as the top DB in this April’s draft. The cornerback/safety combo is a dynamic athlete with skills that easily translate to the NFL. Recent news has indicated that Jalen Ramsey is at the very top of the Dallas Cowboys’ draft board. It’s for that reason, We’ll prematurely profile him before his workout at the NFL Combine.
At this point in the offseason, most draft experts project Jalen Ramsey to go in the top-5 of the NFL Draft. Some scouts aren’t as enamored, indicating a 2nd round grade on the former Seminole. While mixed reviews are certainly causes for concern, most are fearlessly endorsing him as a future All-Pro.
At 6’1” 201lbs, Jalen Ramsey is a big-bodied DB teams covet. His long arms and soft hands allow him to bully receivers at the line and pick off passes his counterparts cannot. He is a natural athlete with amazing measurables.
Last season at Florida State, he played primarily as an outside corner. He excelled in man coverage, bumping and chasing much the same way Richard Sherman does in the single high coverage they run in Seattle. It’s the same coverage scheme that Rod Marinelli has been implementing in Dallas, making this seem like a natural fit between player and team.
NFL.com had this to say about Jalen Ramsey (For the full profile go here):
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"“Dominant athlete. Sprinter and champion long jumper…Elite leaper who can challenge jump balls against anyone. Uses aggressive ripping and raking against catch attempts. Aware and instinctive from zone and off coverage. Diagnoses quickly and will stick a foot in the ground and drive hard towards the throw. Balanced, wrap-up tackler in space. Allowed a completion rate of just 38.5%.”"
Jalen Ramsey has been used heavily in the slot and as a safety during his Florida State career. He’s used frequently to blitz and is utilized as the defense’s top playmaker. His game film shows dominance and versatility. Skip the highlight reels and watch the game tapes or player focus’, like the one below
Jalen Ramsey is moved everywhere. He plays on an island and shadows his receiver. He will occasionally give up a catch but considering how much responsibilities he’s taking on, it’s to be expected. It may appear he has a weakness for under-throws and back-shoulder passes but consider that more a weakness towards the coverage scheme than him personally.
The only problem with Jalen Ramsey being a top-five pick is the significant bust rate for first round CBs. Much like QBs, CBs are hit or miss and it’s not always easy to predict their transition to the NFL. See also: Morris Claiborne (“the best CB prospect since Deion Sanders”).
The NFL Combine will tell us a lot about Jalen Ramsey’s future. We know he’s going to have a brilliant workout and Lance Zierlein has already dubbed him the winner of the Combine.
But what the Combine will tell us is whether Ramsey has the fluid hips necessary to play cornerback in the NFL. Usually players his size struggle with changing direction against the smaller speedy receivers. If Ramsey impresses with his fundamentals and movement in the drills, he could be seen as potentially dominant CB. That would boost his value and quite possibly make him a top-3 pick this April.
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If he projects better as a safety, his league-wide value will probably take a hit. Dominant coverage safeties are undervalued in the NFL. For as much of a game-changer players like Eric Berry and Earl Thomas can be, many NFL teams are still hesitant to invest top picks on the safety position.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, appear to value the safety position more than most. Pushing the versatile Byron Jones to safety last season, the Cowboys made their priorities known when, despite the need at CB, they insisted on safety for their rookie DB.
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Because of this, it’s possible the upcoming Combine drills will do little to move him off their board. If they project him as a safety anyway, hip movement could prove inconsequential.