Where is Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey ranked amongst the NFL’s best?

In a recent story by Doug Farrar of USA Today, the Jaguars Jalen Ramsey is ranked as the NFL’s ninth-best cornerback.

Who is the ninth-best cornerback in the NFL? If you said Jalen Ramsey of the Jacksonville Jaguars, you got the question right. If you think Ramsey is a little low on the latest rankings list by Doug Farrar of USA Today, you are not alone.

I highly respect Farrar and the work he does, but I suspect the number is a little low for one of the best players in the NFL and a defensive player who is still fairly young in this league. Remember, Fansided.com’s Russell Baxter had Ramsey, a former first-round pick in 2016, as the highest ranked defensive player in his recent story of the top 25 players under the age of 25 in the NFL.

Farrar included Ramsey in his story on the 11 best outside cornerbacks in the league. He has Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots ranked first on the list. He does explain why he has put Ramsey amongst the best but does not have him as highly ranked as some, including myself, would place him in another story of this type.

"“Jacksonville’s defense fell off last season from a championship course, going from first in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted metrics in 2017 to sixth in 2018,” Farrar wrote.More from Jacksonville Jaguars NewsJacksonville Jaguars land DeAndre Hopkins in trade proposal to stop the KC ChiefsThe Jaguars may look for edge rushers with pick 24NFL free agency felt like a whirlwind for Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram in 2022Jacksonville Jaguars in position to let RT Jawaan Taylor hit free agency in 2023Jaguars GM Trent Baalke hopes HC Doug Pederson has trust in him“The buy-in didn’t seem to be what it was before, and schematic issues seemed to pop up more than expected. Still, the Jaguars’ outside cornerbacks—Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye—were strong for the most part, and Ramsey maintained a lockdown style for the most part, allowing 53 catches on 97 targets for 749 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.”"

If that is the case, praising Ramsey for his work last year on a team that underperformed as a unit in 2018, why is the former FSU star ranked lower than I believe he should be?

Ramsey is the most outspoken player in the Jaguars locker room and one of a few players this organization can ill-afford to lose for an extended period of time. The Jaguars front office know about his importance to this organization and his teammates on the field.

Prior to the NFL, it was announced the team would pick up the fifth-year option of his rookie deal. He will be paid in the neighborhood of $13.7 million in 2020.

Ramsey is worth every penny. Whether the Jaguars work to extend him to a long-term deal yet is to be determined. The front office must also work out a contract extension with defensive end  Yannick Ngakoue.

Farrar makes the point Ramsey’s nature on the field and the way he plays the game makes him a challenge for his opponents.

"“Ramsey will always be a boom-and-bust player because he’s so aggressive, but when he’s playing on point, he’s very hard to deal with,” Farrar added. “Few cornerbacks in the league have his combination of length, quickness, and downfield speed.”"