Path To Greatness - Jalen Ramsey: Episode 1 | PS4
Long before he joined the Jaguars and promised to make an instant impact, Jalen Ramsey did the same upon arriving at Florida State before the 2013 season.
He said, Coach, Im going to start from Day One, Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said. I said, If youre the best player, you will [start], but realize Deion [Sanders] took four games to start. Jalen said, I dont care.
Ramsey started at cornerback as a freshman before moving to free safety on a Florida State defense that led the nation in fewest points allowed (12.1 per game) and won the national championship.
Twenty-eight years after Sanders was drafted fifth overall by Atlanta, Ramsey, who moved back to cornerback in 2014-15, went No. 5 to the Jaguars.
Fisher (in place of defensive backs coach Charles Kelly) spoke with the Times-Union about Ramsey.
Question: Ramsey was a true freshman playing free safety on a defense laden with future NFL players (Telvin Smith, Lamarcus Joyner, Timmy Jernigan, Terrence Brooks, Ronald Darby and Christian Jones) that eventually won the national title. Was the moment ever too big for him in 2013?
Answer: No, it really wasnt. Theres a difference between arrogance and confidence. He carried himself with a lot of confidence and he believed in his ability. The thing I thought always separated him was his ability to mentally compartmentalize everything that was happening and then learn from it and process it during the game. He did that from the get-go.
The Jaguars coaches have raved about Ramseys football smarts. How rare was that aspect of his game when he arrived at Florida State?
Instincts are something you naturally have. He has the football instincts/IQ, but he also has pure intelligence. Darby was banged up early [in 2013] and that was one of the reasons Jalen got to start at corner, but he would have been on the field somehow anyway. We put him at corner, he starts there and then he moves positions..
After playing free safety as a freshman, what was the reasoning behind moving Ramsey to covering the slot receiver in 2014?
We felt we could use his versatility more [inside]. Sometimes, tall guys [Ramsey is 6-foot-1] have a tough time there, but he had the quickness and agility to cover the little guys. And he was very physical at the point of attack on run plays because he was playing like an outside linebacker and teams liked to run at him. The other thing he was a very dynamic blitzer.
Playing in that new role, did Ramsey pick things up quicker than you and the coaches thought he would?
Yes, he did. But everything hes ever done, hes [adjusted quickly]. He will embarrass guys in practice if theyre not ready.
Ramsey said he got his practice habits from current Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith. Sound right?
Theres no doubt. The way that 2013 team practiced with Telvin, Lamarcus and that whole group of guys on defense and then there was Jameis [Winston], Rashad [Greene], Devonta [Freeman] and [Kelvin] Benjamin on offense practice was crazy.
Ramsey was on the move again as a junior, playing outside corner. Is that his ideal home in the NFL?
It starts there because if you have a true cornerback with his size who can match up against big receivers, thats a huge advantage. Most big guys dont have his strength or agility. And then if you want to match him up in nickel, he can play the little guy. His ability to play corner at this size makes him special.
Wednesday: UCLA linebackers coach Scott White on second-round pick Myles Jack.
Ryan OHalloran: (904) 359-4401
Source: http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2016-05-17/story/jaguars-top-draft-pick-jalen-ramsey-special-talent
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