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2016 NFL Draft: The Cleveland Browns Must Draft Jalen Ramsey

By Joe Russo

Nov 28, 2015; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jalen Ramsey (8) against the Florida Gators during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jalen Ramsey (8) against the Florida Gators during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lots has been written about the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, but few mock drafters have the Cleveland Browns selecting corner Jalen Ramsey over quarterbacks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Factory of Sadness writer makes the case for Ramsey.

Carson Wentz. Jared Goff. Joey Bosa. All three names have been bandied about as a possibility as the No. 2 overall pick for the Cleveland Browns. While Wentz or Goff remain the heavy favorites, it’s not too far-fetched to think the Browns should go in a different direction. If quarterback isn’t the call, the Browns would send ripples through the mock draft world. But really, if the Browns go in another direction and take cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the pick would be justified.

Why spend the pick on defense when the Browns’ offense finished 25th in yards and 30th in points on the year? While Josh McCown wasn’t perfect, he finished 22nd in total QBR  and 13th in yards per game. Even with Johnny Manziel now officially off the roster, quarterback just isn’t the biggest need for the Browns. That need is defense, which at this point looks like it might go largely ignored.

This opens the door for Ramsey.  The Browns gave up 34 passing touchdowns and an opposing quarterback rating of 101.8 in 2015, both tied for third in the NFL. They also only picked off 11 passes, the eighth fewest in the league. Cleveland also saw the fourth most passing attempts in the NFL all year and allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 63 percent of their passes.

Aside from the numbers, the Browns watched a lost season by Joe Haden and an aging Tramon Williams get torched every week. Justin Gilbert isn’t any closer to be an NFL cornerback and Tashaun Gipson, the only playmaker left in the secondary, is now playing in Jacksonville. Someone has to fill the void and improve perhaps the worst part of the most expensive mistake of 2015.

Ramsey presents the best talent to address those needs. At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Ramsey is big enough to play safety. With 4.41 40-yard dash speed, a 41.5-inch vertical jump, and a 6.94 cone drill, he also boasts the athleticism needed to play corner on the outside. As an ACC long jump champ with legitimate track speed, Ramsey is the best athlete in the draft. Period.

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Ramsey is far more than just a combine star. He played both safety and corner while at Florida State and has plenty of game experience. He was the first freshman to start a season opener since the great Deion Sanders and promptly earned freshman All-American honors. Since then, he was an All-ACC performer in 2014 and 2015. According to his draft profile on NFL.com, he allowed only a 38.5 percent completion rate, a staggering low number.

Ramsey won’t be able to step into the top corner role right away an is probably best suited to play free safety in Ray Horton’s scheme. Imagine an athlete like Ramsey with those kind of ball skills playing centerfield in a pressure defense. Think of the support he can provide to Joe Haden as he bounces back from an injury-plagued 2015. While Wentz and Goff might be the best pick according to fans, Ramsey might be the best pick from a football standpoint. He would have the biggest impact on day one and reinforce a secondary that was down right atrocious in 2015.

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Carson Wentz or Jared Goff are likely to be the pick at No. 2, but they shouldn’t be, or at least it shouldn’t be that easy. Jalen Ramsey should be at the very top of the draft boards along with the two quarterbacks. It is Ramsey, not Wentz or Goff, that is the better player in the draft. He just plays the wrong position to be taken at second overall.

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