Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey & A.J. Bouye are top CB tandem per Ike Taylor
By Luke Sims
The hype surrounding Jacksonville Jaguars cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye continues to grow as Ike Taylor calls them the best tandem at their position.
I’m all for hype surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’m even more for hype when it is possibly accurate and revolves around two of the best young players at their position: cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.
So when former longtime cornerback Ike Taylor made a list of the top-five cornerback tandems in the NFL, it was perfectly fine to see Ramsey and Bouye at the top of the list.
Taylor highlighted Ramsey’s ability to rise to the occasion, saying, “The defensive staff trusted and allowed Ramsey to cover the opponent’s best receiver, and he obliged like a champ. We should see the same this year. His play is going to demand more attention in Year 2.”
It wasn’t all about Ramsey, though. Bouye also got some love from Taylor:
"Bouye has speed, is consistently close to the receiver and puts himself in good position to make a play on the ball. I’m not saying he’s going to lead the league in interceptions — mainly because the Jags play man coverage — but Bouye will have plenty of opportunities to come down with the ball if and when they do play zone."
While the last season was particularly great for both players, it is tough to look at a list like this and think it is absolutely appropriate. The hype is real and should be recognized, but the number two ranked tandem, Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. of the Denver Broncos, are probably still at the top of the league.
That isn’t to say that this type of list is completely out of line. Taylor may well believe that the young Jags defenders are the best in the business, but it is more about starting a conversation with a controversial shift at the top than it is about actually ranking players based on the last season’s body of work.
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As has been a theme for the Jaguars throughout OTA’s from the coaches to the players, the Jaguars are simply not a good football team until they prove otherwise. 2017 may well be the year that Ramsey (and Bouye) can be cemented as one of the best at his position, but it still has to be proven on the field. One good rookie season and one major flash by Bouye do not make the two of them the best tandem in the NFL yet. They haven’t even played together in a game situation!
Still, it’s nice to see the 3-13 season isn’t holding the hype back on the Jaguars. Sure, questions still linger about both players and the Jags defense as a whole, but Taylor is going to look awfully wise if this shakes out every bit as good as it’s looking thus far.