FSU Football: Could Jalen Ramsey Be A Huge NFL Draft Bust?
By Kelvin Hunt
Former FSU football star Jalen Ramsey is a lock to be a top 10 pick in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft. What are the odds that he could be a huge bust?
FSU football has learned to take the good with the bad when it comes to criticism. It appears to be the same ole same ole this go around when it comes to a recent assessment of Jalen Ramsey and his potential to be a huge NFL Draft bust.
Could Ramsey be a bust as a top 10 NFL draft pick?
Anything is possible.
Athlon Sports recently listed Jalen Ramsey as one four potential high draft picks that could be a bust. Here’s the reasoning:
"The kid has the size and the tools — according to pretty much everyone — to be a force in the NFL from day one. Some have called him the top player available. I find that interesting. Most mocks have about 12 quarterbacks getting drafted in 2016. Ramsey played against one of them (N.C. State’s Jacoby Brissett) last season. He did face Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson of Clemson, who threw for nearly 300 yards on the Seminole secondary. Additionally, there is a real good chance he didn’t face a single receiver in 2015 who will be drafted in a few weeks. He’ll have a little more competition on Sundays, but at least he’ll look good getting off the bus."
I understand the point they are attempting to make in all fairness, but the reasoning is pretty terrible. Basically it’s the same criticism that everyone else tries to throw at FSU football and the ACC conference. People said it during the FSU football championship run in 2013, the ACC is weak blah blah blah.
Deshaun Watson, Brad Kaaya and the aforementioned Jacoby Brissett will likely play in the NFL. It just so happens that Kaaya and Watson are not eligible to be drafted in the upcoming draft.
Watson throwing for nearly 300 yards against Ramsey and the FSU football secondary? Oh, it took nearly 30 pass completions (28) and 42 attempts and he only threw for one touchdown in the game. Actually, that’s a pretty poor attempt at assessing a player by using total pass yards. It’s not like Watson threw Ramsey’s way 80 percent of the time or anything. But we can play that game too.
Guess what? Watson torched the vaunted Alabama defense to a tune of over 400 yards passing and FOUR passing touchdowns. Ramsey can’t help how the schedule unfolded in 2015, but he has played against quality receivers and quarterbacks during his time at FSU whether it be as a safety or cornerback.
There are four ACC wide receivers that are likely to be drafted next week: Will Fuller (ND), Tyler Boyd (Pitt), Charone Peake (Clemson) and possibly Chris Brown (ND). Not to mention Ramsey did battle with the likes of Kelvin Benjamin and Rashad Greene everyday during practices with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 Jameis Winston throwing to them.
Vernon Hargreaves from Florida will be a first round draft pick. Why no mention that the quarterbacks in the SEC are hot garbage and have been for years? How many SEC quarterbacks are playing in the NFL right now?
East Carolina’s Blake Kemp threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns against Hargreaves and the Florida secondary. Yep, no mention of that either so we know what this was.
There are legit reasons why Ramsey could be a bust. He has had great injury luck during his time with FSU football, but the wrong injury could change everything. Maybe he gets drafted by a team that wants to use him in a defensive scheme that he doesn’t grasp or doesn’t fit his skillset?
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However, his lack of play against “quality competition” will not be one of the reasons.