FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in February. Here’s a look at USC defensive back Kamari Ramsey.
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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kamari Ramsey
Kamari Ramsey (DB – USC)
6’0″ – 204 lbs.
Background
Four-star recruit who originally attended UCLA, redshirting in 2022 before stepping into a starting role the following year and finishing with 40 tackles, four breakups, and one interception. Transferred to the Trojans for the 2024 season, where he posted 60-5.5-2.0 with five breakups, an interception, and two forced fumbles. Was limited to nine games this past year, missing time due to a right knee injury and ending up with 27 tackles and two breakups.
Positives
Pretty thickly-built three-year starter for two different programs, playing more as a high safety with the Bruins before transitioning to more of a chess piece in 2024 and more of a nickel/slot defender in 2025. Plays with a strong, tough on-field temperament. Shows good willingness and effort in run support, with nice thudding power into contact as a tone-setting hitter. Has the contact balance, knee-bend, and lower-body strength to take on and work through blockers in pursuit. Overall efficiency/reliability as a tackler was much improved this past season. Does a good job of keeping things in front of him from off coverage, and has the type of patient, careful temperament teams look for in a last line of defense. Uses his hands to feel routes and stay connected at the route stem, and can disrupt route timing with physicality when sitting in off-coverage. Maintains good sight lines when working in zone. Makes relatively crisp transitions from shuffling to driving on a spot in higher zones, and is a fairly smooth mover overall. Sniffs out screens quickly and attacks blocks aggressively.
Negatives
Still developing his overall anticipation and decisiveness. Overall athletic profile is closer to adequate; thicker and stronger than he is fast/explosive, and doesn’t have a ton of range. Usage with the Trojans was typically more of a high nickel safety shaded over the slot than as a true slot working close to the line of scrimmage; not the twitchiest cover man. Missed over twenty percent of his tackle attempts in 2024, per PFF. On-ball production in coverage hasn’t been quite as impressive as some of the other top safeties in the class. Knee injury sustained this past season will require further investigation.
Summary
A big, jack-of-all-trades type whose role has evolved throughout his collegiate career, having been asked to do a bit of everything before primarily playing as an off-coverage nickel defender this past year. While he might not be the fastest or most explosive safety in the class, he compensates for it with good patience and discipline to avoid costly mistakes, and offers solid run support and off-zone play. Looks like he could end up among the top hundred or so players off the board with solid pre-draft medicals/workouts.
Projection: Round 3
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