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We have OTAs going on, with mandatory minicamp still to come for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but June is an otherwise quiet month for NFL content, so if you’re like me, you may find yourself often looking at listicles.
NFL Network analysts and former Houston Texans quarterback David Carr recently released his list of Top-10 players from the 2016 NFL Draft, and Jalen Ramsey ranks No. 2 on the list because of course he does.
Here is what Carr had to say about Ramsey:
Ramsey is extremely talented and has proven he can cover inside or outside the numbers in just two seasons. His size (6-foot-1, 208 pounds) allows him to be physical enough to cover big receivers like Julio Jones and tight ends, who often pose matchup problems for cornerbacks. Yet, Ramsey can also transition to cover shorter, quicker receivers like Antonio Brown. The All-Pro allowed a 52.1 passer rating on throws in which he was targeted in 2017. To me, Ramsey is easily the top defensive player from this draft.
So who could be ahead of Ramsey? The answer is pretty easy to guess if you recall the 2016 draft — Carson Wentz. And I get it, quarterbacks get all of the glory and Wentz was the leader of the eventual Super Bowl champions, and was playing great before he tore his ACL in December. Despite the injury Wentz received the 2017 Bert Bell Award and Second team All-Pro recognition. Although he obviously couldn’t play, he was also elected to the 2017 Pro Bowl.
But one can obviously make the argument that Ramsey deserves the first spot on this list. In two years, Ramsey has received 2016 Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team, 2017 Pro Bowl and of course 2017 First Team All-Pro honors. As Carr states, he is head and shoulders above any other defensive player in the 2016 draft, which includes Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers (who checks in at No. 7 on the list).
Coming in right below Ramsey was Tyreek Hill, who has proven to be a fifth-round steal for the Kansas City Chiefs. Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys and Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints round out Carr’s top-five.
Two other Jaguars, Myles Jack and Yannick Ngakoue, were named on the “Just missed” list, but something tells me that will change in the near future. What an incredible first three rounds it was for the Jaguars back in ‘16.
I know we’re all a little biased, but what do you think? Should Ramsey be the top player on this list? Should Jack and Ngakoue have been included in the top-10 (yes!)?