Jalen Ramsey Just Staked His Claim As The Best Player In The 2016 NFL Draft

Jalen Ramsey is an absolute stud in the defensive backfield and on Monday he showed that he might actually be the best player in the entire 2016 NFL Draft class.

The Florida State star dominated Day 4 at the NFL Scouting Combine. After measuring in at 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds, he posted outstanding numbers during his workouts. He ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, threw up 14 bench press reps, flashed a 41.5-inch vertical leap and an 11-foot-3-inch broad jump. That broad jump was the fifth-best by a defensive back since 2003.

Ramsey’s vertical and broad jump were tops among the defensive backs in this year’s class and his 40 time was seventh. Teams are split on whether Ramsey should play cornerback or safety at the next level, but on Monday the 21-year-old showed that he may just be the top overall player in this year’s draft class regardless of what position he ends up at.

If Ramsey lines up at corner he could be a big, physical press guy who also has the athleticism to stay with speedy receivers deep. Players with those skills don’t come around too often. At safety he would be a guy with excellent tackling skills who can also go up and get a ball in traffic. He only has solid ball skills, but does well enough in that area that it isn’t a concern.

Ramsey was a three-year starter for the Seminoles and was a big part of their BCS National Championship run as a freshman in 2013, while also becoming a three-time All-ACC honoree in track that year.

The versatile Ramsey is part of the new wave of “hybrid” defensive players who can line up at multiple spots. Whichever team drafts him might just want to stick him at one position and develop him there, but his versatility is enticing. He even lined up at linebacker at times in college.

This draft class doesn’t have one single standout player who is head-and-shoulders above the rest of the field. Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil and Ramsey appear to be separating themselves from the pack though. And for a team looking at defense early in the draft, Ramsey could be the kind of transformational player that Patrick Peterson has been for the Arizona Cardinals.