Bacarri Rambo: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Georgia Safety

You will struggle to find a player in the 2013 NFL draft with a better name than Bacarri Rambo, but the former Georgia safety has a little bite to go with his bark. 

A three-year starter in Athens, Rambo burst onto the scene during his impressive junior season with eight interceptions. A down senior year—which included a four-game suspension—has devalued his draft stock, but Rambo remains a potential starter at the next level from a deep class of eligible safeties. 

In the following slides, we'll give you all the background information you need to know on the former Georgia safety.

Introduction

Full Name: Bacarri Rambo

Birthday: June 27, 1990

Hometown: Donalsonville, Ga.

High School: Seminole County

Major: Consumer Science

Year: Redshirt Senior

Rambo arrived at the University of Georgia as one of the top prep players in the state of Georgia.

At Seminole County High School in Donalsonville, Ga., Rambo was named an all-state quarterback and defensive back in both his junior and senior seasons. Scout.com rated Rambo as a 3-star prospect.

Once in Athens, Rambo took just one redshirt season (2008) and another year of seasoning to become a full-time starter at safety for the Bulldogs. He would go to play in 47 games, with 36 starts. 

Statistics

After his redshirt season in 2008, Rambo played in 11 games (no starts) in 2009 and registered 25 tackles, two interceptions and five passes defensed. He also blocked a punt in the Independence Bowl against Texas A&M. 

The next season, Rambo started all 13 games at free safety. He recorded 82 tackles (five for losses), three interceptions, three forced fumbles and three passes defensed. He was named third-team All-SEC. 

In 2011, Rambo put together his finest collegiate season. Over 13 starts, Rambo totaled 52 tackles (two for losses), eight interceptions, eight passes defensed and one fumble recovery. He was named a first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC. 

While his redshirt senior season wasn't as productive—in part due to a four-game suspension—Rambo still started 10 games and made 73 tackles (one for losses) with three interceptions, one sack, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three passes defensed. 

Overall, Rambo finished his collegiate career with 235 tackles (seven for losses), 16 interceptions, one sack, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 18 passes defensed. He also scored two defensive touchdowns. His 16 interceptions tied a school record. 

Year	G/GS	TKL/TFL	INT	FF
2009	11/0	25/0.0	2	0
2010	13/13	82/5.0	3	3
2011	13/13	55/1.0	8	0
2012	10/10	73/1.0	3	3
Total	47/36	235/7.0	16	6

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 211 pounds

Arm Length: 31"

Hand Size: 9.25"

Combine Results

40-yard dash: N/A

Vertical jump: N/A

Bench press: 17 reps

Pro Day Results

40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds

Broad jump: 9'9"

Vertical jump: 34.5"

20-yard shuttle: 4.26 seconds

Three-cone drill: 6.94 seconds

Despite a hamstring injury, Rambo accepted an invite to the 2013 Senior Bowl and played well, intercepting a second-half pass from Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib. 

The next month, Rambo was limited at the NFL combine because of the lingering hamstring problem. He chose not to participate in any of the running or jumping drills, instead working out only on the bench press.

Finally comfortable with his hamstring, Rambo worked out for all 32 NFL teams at the Georgia pro day in late March. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.55-4.60 seconds while posting a 34.5" vertical leap and a broad jump of 9'9". He also finished the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drill in 4.26 and 6.94 seconds, respectively. 

Interesting Facts

Building off his experience as a prep quarterback, Rambo actually began his collegiate career as Georgia's scout-team signal-caller, according to NFL.com. He helped show option looks. 

During his first year on campus, Rambo was named to the Director's Honor Roll and the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, per his official Georgia bio.

Tragedy struck during Rambo's junior season. Just three days before a game against Ole Miss, Rambo's son was delivered as a stillborn. He went on to record a career-high two interceptions less than 72 hours later, a game he dedicated to his son. Georgia won, 27-13.

Observations

Rob Rang of CBS Sports compared Rambo to former San Francisco 49ers and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson, noting Rambo's ability to both take away the football and deliver a physical element. 

"

Like the 49ers' standout free safety, Rambo has a tendency to make splashy plays as a pass thief and intimidating hitter but is prone to an occasional breakdown. If he can tighten up his game (and his off-field decision-making) Rambo has the talent to earn Pro Bowl consideration, just as Goldson has done for the 49ers.

"

NFL.com was much harsher on Rambo, who they had rated as their 19th-best safety in the 2013 class. Despite noting inconsistency on the field and worries off it, NFL.com's scouting report still predicted Rambo could become a starter at the next level. 

"

Possesses the size, athletic skill set, and playmaking ability to become a starter at the next level. However, multiple suspensions for violating team rules might hurt his draft stock.

"

In this video from Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Rambo is compared to former Arizona Cardinals Kerry Rhodes. Miller notes questionable decision-making at times, but thinks an NFL team wanting a physical and talented player will take a chance to mold Rambo at the next level.