Bob Sturm's NFL draft profile series: Jalen Ramsey could come in and be the best player in the Cowbo

[Alexander]

Big fan of Sturm, can't help but notice his overuse of hyperbole lately.

It seems like he suffered some sort of brain trauma shortly before he wrote this piece.

 

[reddyuta]

At 200 to 205 lbs, that seems extremely light to me for SS. You can get away with being that small in college but the NFL is for big boys, who can all run.

I dont think that would a major concern,Berry has similar weight when he came out but he is fine at SS.

 

[jterrell]

Ramsey is too similar to Jones IMO. Both athletically off charts, both uber-versatile (almost TOO much position flex) and both lack playmaking production (not enough INTs). Jones had a nice rookie season but his play did not change the game. Steady but no big plays, no turnovers. Secondary as a whole actually played worse, again no turnovers.

If Ramsey is the pick, Jones needs to be a corner. Ramsey is the better safety. But neither guy inspires me much as a game changer, or Spags' term, a closer.

They are very similar but Ramsay is a little better at EVERYTHING.
That's why Jones was considered a late R1 and Ramsay a consensus top 5.
I put Ramsay at CB because I value it more.
He is CB2 day 1 for me while Jones is my FS.
Ramsay was way better on tape at CB than Jones.

I could play them both outside at CB with OScan inside at slot if a teams wants to spread it out on 3rd down or if I wanna hit a blitz.
I can sub in a lesser safety like Heath to play the cover 2 beside Church or Wilcox.

WAYYYYY too much emphasis on picks. Those are rare for any player. Trumaine Johnson had 7 this year but never had more than 3 before. It's not a consistent stat and can be very scheme specific. Revis had 2 sacks last year in a SB winning year where he elevated that Pats defense. This year on a crappy NYJ team he had 5.

But you are correct that they may be similar enough you break a tie by going other direction.
I wouldn't avoid Ramsay as BPA though just because of that.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

At 200 to 205 lbs, that seems extremely light to me for SS. You can get away with being that small in college but the NFL is for big boys, who can all run.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. But Malcolm Jenkins was basically playing SS last year. He did start to wear down, but part of that was Chip's offense kept them on the field for too long.

I wouldn't mind switching Ramsey and Jones around. Have them play FS-SS-CB at different times in the year or even in the same game. I wouldn't push it in the rookie season, but once they get acclimated, we could move them around in that fashion to find the best matchups.






YR

 

[conner01]

I heard the same stuff about Claiborne. He may be good, but he's no Deion Sanders. And that's how good you need to be to go #4.

If the standard for the 4th pick is HOF player or bust then you would be wise to trade down because that is a standard you can't possibly meet unless you just get very lucky
If he can be a better CB than what we have then he can help the team and that's the standard you really have to look at.

 

[Direwolf63]

If the standard for the 4th pick is HOF player or bust then you would be wise to trade down because that is a standard you can't possibly meet unless you just get very lucky
If he can be a better CB than what we have then he can help the team and that's the standard you really have to look at.

Be better than the CB's we currently have? Heck, you can find them in the 4th round. No need to waste the #4 overall pick.

 

[conner01]

Be better than the CB's we currently have? Heck, you can find them in the 4th round. No need to waste the #4 overall pick.

I think fans greatly under value scandrick and since he is likely to be the only vet we have I think if the guy across from him is as good as he is we have greatly improved the position

 

[SportsGuru80]

I will take him over Myles Jack

 

[Rogerthat12]

I would go QB because if Romo goes down we can't win a game.. Our team is 100% QB dependent.. A corner doesn't change that.

If Dallas decides not to go QB then Ramsey has to be the pick unless you have the cajonies to take Noah Spence in the top 5.


Imo, Ramsey is the 2nd best player in the draft.

If they pass on a QB or Bosa if available, I would not be surprised that Ramsey would be the pick.

He has all the tools and I could see them keeping Jones at Safety and using Ramsey as a corner.

I do not think Spence would be the pick even with his pass rush ability, the off the field issues and undersized issues with the run could be a factor in passing him up as a prospect.

Spence may not be in the conversation at #4 regardless at this point due to those factors.

If they skip on the Qb at #4 you can count on a defensive heavy draft in all probability, this team needs to fix this defense to be sure.

Those of us who covet the QB at 4 will not be happy and I can see Dallas addressing the back up QB in free agency and the middle rounds of the draft.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Ramsey and Elliot make the biggest difference now and Elliot trumps.

 

[Leadbelly]

Are we changing coverage responsibilities to make drafting a CB worthwhile? If Ramsey is just going to cover for 15 yards and then pass his man off to the safety, I don't see how CB should be any more valued than 1tech DT. The D is risk averse. He's a press CB and we don't play the CBs that way.

 

[IrishAnto]

They are very similar but Ramsay is a little better at EVERYTHING.
That's why Jones was considered a late R1 and Ramsay a consensus top 5.
I put Ramsay at CB because I value it more.
He is CB2 day 1 for me while Jones is my FS.
Ramsay was way better on tape at CB than Jones.

I could play them both outside at CB with OScan inside at slot if a teams wants to spread it out on 3rd down or if I wanna hit a blitz.
I can sub in a lesser safety like Heath to play the cover 2 beside Church or Wilcox.

WAYYYYY too much emphasis on picks. Those are rare for any player. Trumaine Johnson had 7 this year but never had more than 3 before. It's not a consistent stat and can be very scheme specific. Revis had 2 sacks last year in a SB winning year where he elevated that Pats defense. This year on a crappy NYJ team he had 5.

But you are correct that they may be similar enough you break a tie by going other direction.
I wouldn't avoid Ramsay as BPA though just because of that.

The problem is, he's a far batter Safety than he is Corner.

Can we justify picking Safety in consecutive drafts especially when the second will be 4th overall?

If you put him at CB then you're not using his strengths, which is a bit of a problem with Dallas IMO.

 

[IrishAnto]

I would go QB because if Romo goes down we can't win a game.. Our team is 100% QB dependent.. A corner doesn't change that.

If Dallas decides not to go QB then Ramsey has to be the pick unless you have the cajonies to take Noah Spence in the top 5.


Imo, Ramsey is the 2nd best player in the draft.

Totally agree.

This team does next to nothing without a certain level of QB play.

Without Romo or equivalent (or better) it won't matter who's in the secondary.

 

[jterrell]

The problem is, he's a far batter Safety than he is Corner.

Can we justify picking Safety in consecutive drafts especially when the second will be 4th overall?

If you put him at CB then you're not using his strengths, which is a bit of a problem with Dallas IMO.

He was a better college safety than corner for sure.
Not sure I buy that he'd be better long-term at Safety.

He has every CB attribute you want, except great hands. A bit more experience and technique training at the position and he could rival Patrick Peterson.
I'd be looking to play him there first. At safety he'd be undersized.

If you judge him "just a safety" he isn't worth 4. But I see zero reason that's the case. And I don't believe actual scouts feel this way. He is EASILY the best physical prospect at CB in this draft class. And he's the 2nd or 3rd best CB by pure tape with very limited reps at the position.

Demarcus Ware could have been the game's best middle linebacker but we played him at rush end where he was raw as rain and that created a Hall of Famer.

I'd always hit Pass Rush/CB/LT/QB/WR before anything else and always give guys shots at those positions if they were special. Same way we moved Tyron Smith to LT and Demarcus Ware to DE the best fits don't have to be where they played mostly in college. It is about the potential.

 

[CATCH17]

The problem is, he's a far batter Safety than he is Corner.

Can we justify picking Safety in consecutive drafts especially when the second will be 4th overall?

If you put him at CB then you're not using his strengths, which is a bit of a problem with Dallas IMO.

I disagree.

I think he shows all the signs that he could develop into an elite corner.

Really though you could line this guy up anywhere on any given play but that would take creativity and that is not something we have around here.

 

[IrishAnto]

He was a better college safety than corner for sure.
Not sure I buy that he'd be better long-term at Safety.

He has every CB attribute you want, except great hands. A bit more experience and technique training at the position and he could rival Patrick Peterson.
I'd be looking to play him there first. At safety he'd be undersized.

If you judge him "just a safety" he isn't worth 4. But I see zero reason that's the case. And I don't believe actual scouts feel this way. He is EASILY the best physical prospect at CB in this draft class. And he's the 2nd or 3rd best CB by pure tape with very limited reps at the position.

Demarcus Ware could have been the game's best middle linebacker but we played him at rush end where he was raw as rain and that created a Hall of Famer.

I'd always hit Pass Rush/CB/LT/QB/WR before anything else and always give guys shots at those positions if they were special. Same way we moved Tyron Smith to LT and Demarcus Ware to DE the best fits don't have to be where they played mostly in college. It is about the potential.

Well listening to Dane Brugler on the draft show, I took from his analysis that Ramsey could play CB at the next level.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Again the consensus from what I've heard that he's more suited to Safety not CB.

And I'll add that what the Dallas defense needs more that anything else is turnovers and 3 ints in his college career doesn't indicate that he'll be the answer in that regard.

 

[IrishAnto]

I disagree.

I think he shows all the signs that he could develop into an elite corner.

Really though you could line this guy up anywhere on any given play but that would take creativity and that is not something we have around here.

Well that's not the impression I've taken from various sources.

 

[Oh_Canada]

I heard the same stuff about Claiborne. He may be good, but he's no Deion Sanders. And that's how good you need to be to go #4.

Claiborne wasn't half the athlete this kid is.

 

[jterrell]

Well listening to Dane Brugler on the draft show, I took from his analysis that Ramsey could play CB at the next level.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Again the consensus from what I've heard that he's more suited to Safety not CB.

And I'll add that what the Dallas defense needs more that anything else is turnovers and 3 ints in his college career doesn't indicate that he'll be the answer in that regard.

Brugler loves him overall but says his run all over tape as a safety is better.
I agree. AS a collegiate player he was better at Safety.
But you project these guys. Ramsay needs technique work at CB.
He is not a day 1 walk in CB1. His technique is not just bad it's poor. Yet his recovery and toughness and athleticism are off the charts good.

His turnover total is great. His pure INT total is bad. But again he has poor technique and weak hands. Things he can and will need to work on regardless the position.

Dane admits some teams will view him as a CB while others a safety. Says he is arguably the draft's best player and can play all over. He compares him to Honey Badger.

At safety you'd have to add weight and take away his gambling.
At CB he needs tons of technique work.

At either spot is a 5 star prospect because of athleticism.

I'd put him at CB but play him all over. He would excel as a slot corner because he is easily the best blitzing player in the top 50 DBs.

 

[jterrell]

Claiborne wasn't half the athlete this kid is.

Mo was the complete opposite prospect.
Mo had far better tape as a CB and was CB1 while playing WITH Pat Peterson.
Mo was simply unbeatable in coverage in college and he had WR hands.

But Mo was maxed out at LSU.
The one thing they needed to do was add size and strength and his body apparently can't readily do it.