Caleb Ransaw S Tulane | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Caleb Ransaw S Tulane
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Man-Zone Free Safety | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/02/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.33 seconds (99%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Man-Zone Free Safety | |
| Last Updated: 04/02/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.33 seconds (99%*) | |
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| Overall Rating: | 79.0 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 80.9 | |
| Tackling: |
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82% |
| Run Defense: |
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75% |
| Coverage: |
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71% |
| Zone: |
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64% |
| Man/Press: |
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72% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#204
Position rank:
#33
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| College Games: 48 College Snaps: 1478 | ||
ESPN RATING: 70/100
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247 RATING: 79/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.2 (85%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Yusuf Corker - Kentucky |
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80% |
| Nick Cross - Maryland |
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74% |
| DeMarcco Hellams - Alabama |
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71% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Caleb Ransaw hailing from Harvest, Alabama was a productive defensive back at Sparkman High School, he showed early signs of ball-hawking ability with an impressive 51 passes defensed during his final two prep seasons. After committing to Troy as part of their 2021 class, Ransaw spent three developmental seasons with the Trojans, gradually working his way from a depth piece (logging just 55 defensive snaps as a freshman) to an eventual starter who transitioned to the nickel position by his junior year. Following concussion issues that interrupted his sophomore campaign, he rebounded to play all 14 games in 2023, demonstrating enough growth to earn Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference honors.After entering the transfer portal as a three-star prospect, Ransaw landed at Tulane for his final collegiate season where he thrived in the "spear" role of Joe Craddock's defense – a hybrid nickel/linebacker position that maximized his physical playing style. The Green Wave coaching staff trusted him immediately, starting him in 12 games where he registered 34 tackles, 4 TFLs with 1 sack, and 3 PBUs before earning Third-team All-American Athletic Conference recognition. His performance and athletic testing (highlighted by a blistering 4.33 forty at the Combine) earned him an invitation to the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl, providing a platform to showcase his talents against elevated competition. Ransaw's NFL bloodlines are worth noting – he's the cousin of former Alabama standout and NFL cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.
Throughout his collegiate career, Ransaw has grown into his role as a defensive chess piece, accumulating 115 total tackles, 10 TFLs, 1 interception, and 8 passes defensed across 49 games (31 starts) between Troy and Tulane. His progression from special teams contributor to trusted starter mirrors his developmental path as a player – initially relying on raw physical tools before refining his technique and understanding of defensive concepts. The question now becomes whether Ransaw's skillset and physical traits can translate to the next level, particularly given his somewhat specialized role in college.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Brings the thunder as a tackler – explodes through contact with violent intentions and consistently finishes the job with an impressive 95% tackle success rate.
- Shows exceptional versatility by lining up everywhere from deep safety to nickel corner to box defender, giving coordinators multiple deployment options.
- Brings elite straight-line closing speed (4.33 forty) that erases angles and allows him to collapse on ball carriers before they can gather momentum.
- Plays with genuine nasty streak when fitting against the run – takes on pulling linemen with zero hesitation and works through trash with controlled aggression.
- Showcases impressive block deconstruction ability for his size, using strong hands to violently disengage from receivers trying to wall him off.
- Changes direction with surprising fluidity in his backpedal and shows comfort operating in zone coverage with disciplined eye progression techniques.
- Comes downhill like his hair's on fire on outside runs and screens – shows instinctive recognition and shoots gaps with decisive timing.
- Demonstrates special teams value with his combination of straight-line speed, tackling reliability, and physical play style that coaches will drool over.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Displays concerning limitations when tasked with man coverage against shifty slot receivers – lacks mirroring ability against sudden route breaks.
- Footwork gets choppy and inefficient in press technique, causing him to lose leverage early in routes and forcing him into recovery mode.
- Shows limited ball production (just one interception in college) despite being in position to make plays – struggles turning head to locate ball in flight.
- Aggressiveness becomes a double-edged sword when he takes false steps or overcommits, creating cutback lanes for patient runners to exploit.
- Length limitations (30¾" arms) show up when attempting to press and disrupt at the catch point – can't consistently reach around receivers to contest catches.
Scouting Report: Summary
When the pads come on, Ransaw will earn his paycheck as a sub-package defender with immediate special teams value. His natural role falls as a big nickel or dime linebacker where his aggressive run support and sure tackling shine brightest. This is a defensive back who can do damage when turned loose downhill, but will need continued development in coverage situations. His physical demeanor and willingness to mix it up in the run game compensate for his limitations when asked to mirror receivers in man coverage.The athletic testing numbers (4.33 forty, 40" vertical) hint at untapped potential that could elevate Ransaw's ceiling if he can refine his coverage technique. While his zone coverage shows promise, particularly when he can keep plays in front of him, his man coverage needs significant development. Coaches will appreciate his recovery speed when beaten, but will need to scheme around his current coverage limitations. His best football might still be ahead of him as he settles into a defined role at the next level.
Ransaw brings true versatility to a defensive backfield with his experience at multiple alignments across his college career. Teams will value his physical playing style and tackling reliability while developing his coverage skills. Though not a day-one starter as a traditional safety, his immediate impact on special teams and ability to contribute in specific defensive packages make him a valuable addition to an NFL secondary.
Caleb Ransaw percentiles vs other Safetys (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Caleb Ransaw (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
187.2
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
41.0
*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.