Jalen Ramsey: Is he the next Patrick Peterson?

FILM ROOM — 

Patrick Peterson:

Peterson came out of LSU with a skill set that would allow him to play in just about any defensive scheme in the NFL. He has enough range to be left on an island in man coverage after using his long arms and strength to successfully press receivers and reroute them at the line of scrimmage.

He also has the instincts and explosion to allow him to sit back in a zone and make plays on the football.

However, where Peterson looks his most impressive on film is when he’s using his explosive leaping ability and his body control to fight receivers in jump ball situations. He tracks the ball well in the air and has the hands to bring down his fair share of interceptions.

Though Peterson possess one of the rarest combinations of size and speed in the game, he didn’t appear to have elite quickness and acceleration on film, which may have resulted in struggles to recover after biting on a double move — something he’s prone to with his ultra-aggressive nature.

And while he can be a willing tackler, Peterson was too inconsistent in the run game during his time with the Tigers. Some plays Peterson could be seen sticking his nose in and making a tackle on the boundary, but on others he appears tentative when trying to shed a block and make a play.

Jalen Ramsey:

Ramsey’s film lends itself to the confusion among NFL personnel regarding where exactly he fits best in an NFL secondary. While there is no doubt he has consistently flashed his deep speed and instincts in coverage, it’s undeniable his 2014 film in the star role was more impressive than his work at boundary corner in 2015.

That’s not to say Ramsey can’t be an elite cover corner in the NFL. With his freakishly long arms and large frame, he is phenomenal when he can get a hand on the receiver and press off the line of scrimmage, often rerouting a receiver or on occasion completely taking him out of the play (just ask Bobby Petrino).

But while Jalen Ramsey showed off his closing speed, especially in the run game where he blew up many a run play, as the boundary corner in 2015, he also had a tendency to bait throws a little too often, resulting in easy completions. His footwork also needs work to help him compensate for a relative lack of lateral quickness.

When he spent more time manning the slot, though, Ramsey’s instincts in diagnosing plays and explosion out of his breaks made him a force to be reckoned with. In addition to impressive bend in his pass rush, Ramsey has bravado that would make Richard Sherman blush.

Next: Verdict