The top defensive back in the 2016 NFL is undoubtedly Jalen Ramsey of Florida State. He’s going to get picked early. But how soon? Right now, it seems that the Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers are the main options for him.
Ramsey isn’t short of confidence. He can play both cornerback and safety, and has signaled to the Titans he believes he’s the best player in this draft. However, a cornerback has never been the number one overall pick in the draft. The Titans’ Jon Robinson hasn’t been clear about who he’s going to take, which is always the case. He says he wants an impact player, and most likely it’ll be Laremy Tunsil out of Ole Miss and maybe Joey Bosa from Ohio State. But Ramsey?
In any case, Robinson showed up to the Florida State pro day to view Ramsey from up close, while the Steelers, Jaguars, Bills and Buccaneers also sent people to see Ramsey. However, with him projected to be a top 5 or 6 pick, it’ll be surprising if someone other than the Titans, Cowboys and Jaguars managed to get their hands on him. For both the Steelers and the Bills it might be a bit too much of a reach, unless they’re planning on moving up in the draft ladder.
Part of the Seminoles BCS championship team, Ramsey was a consensus All-American last season and a second-team All-American the year before. In three seasons with Florida State he has three interceptions. In 2014 he finished with three sacks and 10 tackles for a loss as well, while his numbers dropped a little bit during his Junior year.
Ramsey isn’t going to be taken quickly because of his interception skills. He’s not a ballhawk, but he does basic things better than anyone at the position. He’s quick to react and on his feet, and most importantly has what seem like elite coverage skills, with size to complete the package. He’s great at stopping the run and joining the front seven for blitzes and stacking the box, making him what looks like the most complete defensive back in this draft by a very long way.