Kamari Ramsey S USC | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Kamari Ramsey S USC
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/19/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.52 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.9 DOB: 08/24/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 05/19/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.52 seconds (67%*) | |
| Age: 20.9 DOB: 08/24/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 85.9 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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83% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 80.9 | |
| Tackling: |
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64% |
| Run Defense: |
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65% |
| Coverage: |
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94% |
| Zone: |
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91% |
| Man/Press: |
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87% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#55
Position rank:
#8
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| College Games: 24 College Snaps: 1262 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
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247 RATING: 93/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Xavier Watts - Notre Dame |
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88% |
| Ronnie Hickman - Ohio State |
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85% |
| Kyler Gordon - Washington |
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83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A high-caliber defensive chess piece with crosstown pedigree, Kamari Ramsey enters his redshirt junior campaign at USC having already established himself as one of the premier secondary defenders in college football. Born in Palmdale, California, Ramsey was a coveted four-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon High School, initially committing to Stanford before a late pivot landed him at UCLA for his first two collegiate seasons. After redshirting in 2022 while appearing in just four games, Ramsey flourished in a full-time starting role for the Bruins in 2023, recording 40 tackles and his first career interception against Cal.The 6'0", 204-pound safety's trajectory took a dramatic turn when he followed defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn across Los Angeles to rival USC prior to the 2024 season. The move paid immediate dividends as Ramsey emerged as the backbone of the Trojans' rebuilt secondary, amassing 60 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 5 pass breakups while earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors. His breakout performance came in a statement game against LSU, where he tallied 9 tackles and earned LOTT Impact Player of the Week recognition, followed by a 10-tackle effort versus Penn State that showcased his ability to perform on the biggest stages.
Despite widespread expectations that he would declare for the NFL Draft following his standout 2024 campaign, Ramsey surprised many by announcing his return to USC for the 2025 season, citing "unfinished business" with the Trojans. His decision to remain in cardinal and gold gives him a chance to solidify his draft stock while leading a rebuilt USC secondary that will rely heavily on his experience, playmaking ability, and leadership as the only returning starter from last year's improved defensive unit.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Diagnoses plays with surgical precision, showing elite mental processing that allows him to trigger downhill before most safeties have even recognized the play development.
- Possesses that dog-like mentality when attacking the line of scrimmage, playing with controlled violence and finishing tackles with authority rarely seen from a defensive back.
- Mirror technique in man coverage borders on artistry, particularly against tight ends where his combination of physicality and fluidity neutralizes size mismatches.
- Transitions from backpedal to full acceleration happen in the blink of an eye, creating recovery speed that erases potential big plays when quarterbacks try to test him deep.
- Demonstrates rare versatility for his age, looking equally comfortable as a traditional safety, box defender, or slot corner depending on defensive call and offensive personnel.
- Closes on underneath routes like a heat-seeking missile, consistently arriving at the catch point with perfect timing to separate receiver from football.
- Plays with exceptional spatial awareness in zone coverage, rarely getting manipulated by quarterback eyes and maintaining proper leverage against multiple threats.
- Brings controlled chaos as a blitzer, timing his rushes perfectly and taking surgical angles to avoid blockers while maintaining contain responsibility.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Ball production doesn't match his positioning, with just two career interceptions despite numerous near-misses suggesting he needs refinement in finishing plays at the catch point.
- Takes aggressive angles that occasionally leave him vulnerable to cutbacks, particularly when attacking from depth against shifty ball carriers who can manipulate his momentum.
- Missed tackle percentage jumped noticeably in 2024 (18% compared to 9% at UCLA), raising questions about consistency against higher-level competition.
- Sometimes relies too heavily on physical dominance rather than technique when tackling in space, leading to lunging attempts that NFL-caliber athletes will evade.
- While versatile enough to play different roles, hasn't showcased true single-high range that would maximize his draft value in today's NFL that covets center-field defenders.
Scouting Report: Summary
Ramsey is a defensive back whose coverage instincts border on exceptional while his tackling fundamentals remain puzzlingly inconsistent. His rare ability to mirror-match tight ends in man coverage gives him immediate third-down value, though his tendency to take overly aggressive angles in run support will require schematic protection at the next level. The flashes of brilliance in zone recognition hint at a cerebral defender who processes information rapidly, yet his limited ball production suggests a final developmental hurdle remains uncrossed.Defensive playcallers valuing versatility will see Ramsey as clay to be molded rather than a finished product. His elite coverage ability showcase a defender comfortable playing various assignments – from deep half to slot responsibilities – though his negatives in the run game indicate where his bread is truly buttered. The decision to return for his redshirt junior season speaks volumes about his self-awareness; he recognizes the gap between his current trajectory and his ceiling as a complete safety prospect. Those tackling inconsistencies that appeared when transitioning from UCLA to USC demand refinement before he can be trusted as an every-down defender.
The evolution of modern NFL defenses toward interchangeable secondary pieces works heavily in Ramsey's favor. His rare combination of man coverage prowess and defensive diagnostic ability creates immediate value in sub-packages, with room to develop into an impactful starter. For a defensive back with clear strengths in coverage assignments but questions in the physicality department, Ramsey embodies the high-ceiling, moderate-floor prototype that savvy talent evaluators covet in the secondary.
How other scouting services rate Kamari Ramsey (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
62.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
7.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.