Meet Jalen Ramsey, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top Safety Heading into Next Season

Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey projects to be one of the 2016 NFL draft's best athletes and most versatile playmakers.Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

While Jalen Ramsey is moving to boundary cornerback for the Florida State Seminoles this upcoming season, the junior could be at the top of the list for teams looking to add a safety in the 2016 NFL draft.

Truly, it is more accurate to simply call Ramsey a defensive back than to label him as either a cornerback or safety. He spent time playing both positions as a freshman at Florida State before moving into a hybrid role as the team’s nickel back last season.

Where Ramsey ultimately lines up in the NFL will depend upon how the team that drafts him believes he can best fit its scheme.

In the interest of highlighting one of the top prospects in the 2016 draft class, having already given top cornerback billing to Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III in the previous installment of Bleacher Report’s top draft prospect by position series, Ramsey is being classified here as a safety, which appears to be the position he is best suited to play in a base defensive package.

A second-team AP All-American in 2014, Ramsey possesses a clear knack for making highlight-reel plays. Through two collegiate seasons, in which he has started all 28 of Florida State’s games, Ramsey has accumulated 11.5 tackles for loss, 16 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

From a technical standpoint, Ramsey has a need to continue to work on his game. From a physical standpoint, though, it is evident that Ramsey has the potential to develop into an NFL star.

Athleticism and Versatility

At 6’1” and 201 pounds, Ramsey has a combination of size, length and athleticism that fits the NFL prototype for a defensive back.

For evidence of how athletic Ramsey is, one need look no further than his results as a member of the Florida State track and field team. During this past track and field season, Ramsey finished fourth in the long jump in the NCAA Indoor Championships, with a jump of 26’1.75”, then followed that up with a 14th-place finish in the long jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with a jump of 24’11.25”.

Ramsey, who told Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press that he hopes to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics, was victorious in the long jump at both the ACC Indoor Championships (25’2.75”) and ACC Outdoor Championships (26’1.5”). He also finished seventh at the ACC Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter dash (10.61 seconds).

The athleticism Ramsey shows on the track translates to the gridiron. It gives him the range to make plays at all regions of the field, explosiveness to burst downhill toward the ball and recovery speed to make up ground in coverage.

One of the areas in which Ramsey’s athleticism is most apparent is when he is blitzing.

Utilized frequently as a pass-rusher in his role as the “Star” defensive back last season, Ramsey was regularly able to impact the game from the edge. Bursting out of his stance the same way he might at the beginning of a track sprint, Ramsey can beat blockers around their outsides and, when he does, bring pressure to the quarterback in a hurry.

The following clips from Florida State’s win over Miami last season shows just one example of Ramsey taking advantage of his speed to get to the quarterback. Able to win with a wide angle around the left side, Ramsey curled back to Miami signal-caller Brad Kaaya’s backside and hit him as he threw to force an incomplete pass.

Ramsey’s athleticism is likewise apparent in open space, as he can close very quickly in pursuit. The following clip shows another play from the same game in which Ramsey snuffed a screen pass to running back Duke Johnson from the get-go and was able to get to Johnson in a flash to shut him down for a three-yard tackle for loss.

A true every-down player for the Seminoles, Ramsey could be seen lining up all over the team’s defensive formation last season, from his usual spot of slot cornerback to playing up on the line of scrimmage or dropping back to play as a deep safety.

Ramsey has also had a highly active presence on special teams, which is another area in which his athleticism stands out.

His long speed shines in the following clip, from Florida State’s win over Clemson, on which he covered 50 yards as a punt gunner to force Tigers returner Adam Humphries into a fair catch.

Ramsey also has great vertical athleticism, as evidenced by the following clip from Florida State’s 2014 rivalry game against Florida. While Ramsey was not able to actually block Florida’s field-goal attempt in this instance, his quick move to leapfrog the Gators long snapper and get into the backfield was impressive nonetheless.

As indicated in the GIF exhibiting his tackle for loss against Duke Johnson, Ramsey is a strong tackler for a defensive back. He employs good form in wrapping up his opponents and is authoritative in using his strength so as not to allow runners to finish through him and continue their forward progress.

Able to impact the game in a wide variety of ways, Ramsey is a player whom any creative defensive coordinator will covet. Because of his ability to do so many different things, he has the potential to play safety, cornerback and even linebacker situationally.

That said, he will make his home somewhere within the secondary, which makes his ability in coverage of utmost importance. In that regard, however, he appears to still be a work in progress.

Coverage Skill Will Be Tested at Cornerback

The most highly valued safety prospects are typically those who are ball hawks, and Ramsey has certainly shown that he can be that. An aggressive playmaker, Ramsey regularly exhibits the ability to break on the ball and make plays on it.

No play exemplified Ramsey’s ball-hawking ability more than Florida State’s final defensive play against Miami last year. Perhaps the most famous play of his career to date, Ramsey showed a terrific ability to read the flight of the ball as he broke off a Phillip Dorsett route from the slot to undercut a Brad Kaaya pass over the middle and secure a game-sealing interception, as seen in the following three clips.

On the play, Ramsey was in perfect coverage position from the start and was able to take advantage. But even when Ramsey gets initially beat on a play, he still has the potential to get his hands on the ball because of his length and recovery speed.

An example of that can be seen in the following GIF, also from the Miami game, in which tight end Clive Walford was able to get a step on Ramsey on a post route over the middle, but Ramsey was still able to leap in from behind and get his hands on the ball for a pass breakup that was nearly an interception.

The concern that arises from studying Ramsey’s tape is that he allows receivers to get ahead of him—often to a point that renders him unable to make a play on the ball—with too much frequency.

Where Ramsey tends to struggle most is in off-man coverage. He is susceptible to getting beat on route breaks, not so much because he lacks change-of-direction quickness but because he gets fooled by double moves and gives his opponents too much cushion.

One example of Ramsey getting faked out by a double move and burned came on a 42-yard catch by Florida wide receiver Brandon Powell last season.

With that being said, Ramsey was also inconsistent in zone coverage. Partially thanks to his aggressive playmaking nature, but also indicative of a lack of positional awareness, there were occasions throughout last season on which Ramsey allowed opposing receivers to get wide open when he should have continued covering them.

As NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein recently noted about Ramsey’s play last season, “There were way too many instances when his instincts and technique put him in poor position.”

“Those concerns might be alleviated once he's able to use his attributes as a press-man corner,” Zierlein wrote. “I understand the hype surrounding his potential and traits, but his play consistency must improve as a full-time cornerback.”

To this point, Ramsey has not come close to demonstrating the lockdown coverage ability that the top cornerbacks eligible for the 2016 draft, Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III and Virginia Tech’s Kendall Fuller, already have.

The good news for Ramsey, of course, is that he has a full year of playing cornerback ahead of him in which he will constantly be in a position to prove his mettle in coverage.

Unlike last season, when Ramsey was frequently taken out of coverage to rush the passer, Ramsey will be expected to be a constant presence in coverage in his new role this year. This will put his ability to the test, but it should also enable him to improve upon his technical consistency and get into a groove as a pass defender.

As Zierlein alluded to, press coverage is an area in which scouts will be watching Ramsey closely this season. He was not used in that capacity much in 2014, but his size and length can be great assets in that regard, where he has shown the ability to succeed in limited engagements.

Even if Ramsey has a great season in coverage this upcoming year, his NFL home might still be at safety. Either way, he needs to give up fewer big plays this season while continuing to make big plays of his own if he is going to cement his status as an early first-round draft pick.

Coming Through in the Clutch

Clutch is a tough factor to quantify, but a clear trend in Ramsey’s tape is that he tends to be at his best in big moments. One of the biggest reasons Ramsey has become one of the 2016 draft class’ first household names is that he has a reputation for making big plays with the game on the line.

If you followed college football last season, you might recall that Florida State, despite going undefeated until its blowout loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl, found itself in many close games. And on the many occasions the Seminoles needed their defense to get them out of a jam, Ramsey was more often than not a player who stepped up to make at least one big play.

The aforementioned interception against Miami was not the only instance in which Ramsey made a play that would all but seal a Florida State victory. Another came in the fourth quarter last September against North Carolina State. With his team clinging to an 11-point lead in a high-scoring game, Ramsey beat Wolfpack running back Shadrach Thornton on a blitz around the left side to hit quarterback Jacoby Brissett from behind for a strip sack.

Against Notre Dame in October, with his team leading 31-27 in what might have been Florida State’s closest call of the regular season, Ramsey came up huge twice in goal-to-go defense.

First, on 3rd-and-goal, Ramsey attacked downhill toward a short out route to C.J. Prosise, giving Prosise a hard push out of bounds behind the 2-yard line to stop the Notre Dame wide receiver from reaching the goal line.

Then, following an offensive pass-interference penalty against Notre Dame, Ramsey rang up another successful blitz, beating Notre Dame right guard Steve Elmer across his face to hit quarterback Everett Golson and force an errant throw that would be intercepted by Seminoles linebacker Jacob Pugh in the end zone to clinch victory.

Scouting purists might argue that clutchness is not a trait, but coaches love players who make a difference when the game is on the line. If Ramsey can continue to make big plays when they matter most this upcoming season, it will only further his standing as one of the most intriguing playmakers in the 2016 draft, assuming he declares.

Where Ramsey Fits and How Highly He Should Be Drafted

If you’re looking to compare Ramsey to a player currently in the NFL, the Florida State junior projects as a bigger, faster version of former LSU standout Tyrann Mathieu, and could play a similar role in the NFL.

While Mathieu struggled to regain his stride last season after suffering a torn ACL late in his rookie year, he was outstanding in 2013 in a hybrid defensive back role for the Arizona Cardinals that had him lining up as the starting free safety in base packages but as a slot cornerback in nickel packages. This position put Mathieu in a role in which he could make plays on the ball in coverage but also be a factor around the line of scrimmage as a blitzer and run defender.

If the NFL team that drafts Ramsey wants to maximize his skill set on its defense, it would be smart to play the prospective first-round pick in a similar role.

Like the "Honey Badger" and many of the NFL's other great defensive backs, Ramsey has an effusive swagger. His high self-confidence is evident both on the field and off it, as evidenced by his own Twitter.

With that being said, Ramsey has none of the off-field baggage that made Mathieu fall to the third round (No. 69 overall) in the 2013 draft. Ramsey briefly received negative press last August when he was kicked out of a practice for being overly physical, but he was praised by coach Jimbo Fisher after returning to the field the next day.

Assuming Ramsey is drafted where his talent dictates, he should be selected within the top half of the first round. While he does need to show some improvement this upcoming season, he has game-changing potential that is rare for a defensive back.

Because of that, John Harris of HoustonTexans.com considers Ramsey to be the best defensive prospect in college football.

Can Any Other Safety Prospects Challenge Ramsey?

All the players who are most likely to be drafted as safeties in Round 1—including Ramsey—are players who will not actually be defined as safeties on their rosters this year.

The safety prospect with the most potential to challenge Ramsey for draft position is USC junior Su’a Cravens. While Cravens moved to linebacker for the Trojans last season, the 6’1”, 225-pound defender is well-suited to play strong safety in the NFL, as he is a big hitter in the box but also a great athlete who is fluid dropping back into coverage.

Ole Miss junior Tony Conner, who plays the nickelback position like Ramsey did last year, is another top talent at defensive back who could end up in the first-round mix. Known for being a big hitter at 6’0” and 215 pounds, Conner projects as a strong safety to the NFL.

Among more traditional safety prospects—those being players who are actually lining up at the position on a regular basis for their college football teams—the top prospect going into the season is Duke senior Jeremy Cash. Coming off two excellent seasons for the Blue Devils since transferring from Ohio State, Cash projects as a likely second-round pick next spring.

Ramsey could potentially be joined near the top of the draft by another Florida State junior, Nate Andrews, who projects as a potential early-round pick in his own right should he declare for the draft. While Andrews lacks the elite physical tools that Ramsey has, he was likewise a big playmaker for the Seminoles in both coverage and run defense in 2014.

Other candidates to be early-round picks at the safety position in 2016 include Ohio State junior Vonn Bell, LSU senior Jalen Mills, Notre Dame junior Max Redfield and West Virginia senior Karl Joseph.

All of those players have the skills to be starting safeties in the NFL, and could make up a deep class at the position in the 2016 draft.

Even so, Ramsey stands out as a unique talent.

While the second-tier safety prospects might only appeal to teams who are specifically looking to add at that position, Ramsey is a player who should draw interest from the entire NFL. With his multitudinous versatility and all-around playmaking ability, Ramsey has the potential to be an impact player for any defense, even if that means creating a new role for him to play.

This article is the final installment of a series on the projected top prospects at each position for the 2016 NFL draft. Also read:

Meet Jared Goff, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top QB Heading into Next Season

Meet Ezekiel Elliott, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top RB Heading into Next Season

Meet Tyler Boyd, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top WR Heading into Next Season

Meet Evan Engram, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top TE Heading into Next Season

Meet Ronnie Stanley, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top OL Heading into Next Season

Meet Joey Bosa, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top DE Heading into Next Season

Meet A'Shawn Robinson, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top DT Heading into Next Season

Meet Jaylon Smith, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top LB Heading into Next Season

Meet Vernon Hargreaves III, the 2016 NFL Draft's Top CB Heading into Next Season

All measurables and football statistics courtesy of Florida State’s official athletics website unless otherwise noted. All track and field results courtesy of TheACC.com and NCAA.com.

All GIFs were made at Gfycat using videos from YouTube.

Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow @Dan_Hope