Sean McVay sees no real comparison for Jalen Ramsey: 'He's kind of one-of-one'

[theramswire.usatoday.com]
Sean McVay sees no real comparison for Jalen Ramsey: 'He's kind of one-of-one'

Cameron DaSilva
September 18, 2021 6:30 am PT
Jalen Ramsey has become much more than just a cornerback since being traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. And for that reason, it’s difficult to find a fair comparison for him. He’s as good as any lockdown cornerback when he lines up outside, and as he showed in Week 1, he can also be a tone-setter and disruptive presence in the middle of the field when he’s in the slot or the box.


In the season opener against the Bears, Ramsey played 37 snaps in the slot, 25 outside at cornerback, five in the box and two along the defensive line, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s not an alignment spread you’ll see from many defensive players in the NFL today, showing just how versatile Ramsey is.

Sean McVay was asked Friday if there’s a player Ramsey compares to, and he had a tough time thinking of one because of how special the Rams DB is.

“I think he’s kind of one-of-one,” McVay said. “I think that he can make an influence where you’re saying, ‘Who are these premier shutdown corners on the outside?’ He can do that. And then, ‘Who are these guys that can bump inside and really affect and influence the game?’ I think about when I first started coaching the guys that were really the premier nickels or stars as we call it – you’re talking about the Ronde Barbers, the Antoine Winfields – but Jalen is so big and he’s so physical. We can utilize him where, if you look at last week, he has taken on offensive linemen and snapping them back pretty good and blowing plays up. If you just watched him the whole game, you’d say that guy is a unique, special talent that plays with great energy and passion every single snap.”

Opposing offenses have a tough time game planning for Ramsey. They don’t know whether he’ll be lining up outside for most of the game, covering the slot or shadowing their No. 1 receiver wherever he goes.

That’s an added wrinkle when it comes to preparing to face the Rams defense because Ramsey is a playmaker no matter where he aligns pre-snap. McVay said it’s similar to the versatile offensive players across the league, guys like Alvin Kamara, Darren Waller and George Kittle.

“It’s equivalent to the Alvin Kamaras or these joker-types of players – the Wallers, the Kittles that can do a lot of different things that you don’t really know how they’re going to be activated, but you know they’re going to influence and affect the game,” McVay said. “That’s what Jalen is doing for our defense. He’s so versatile. He can play inside. He can play outside. You can blitz him. You can drop him in coverage. He can literally set the edge on a defense. You’re not limited in any ways that you want to be able to utilize him. He has got a great ability to handle that. The capacity is something that I think is as special as anything, in addition to those physical things we’re talking about.”

We’re only one week into the season, but Ramsey appears to have taken his game to another level this year with his versatility. Some of it is game planning, but it’s also partly Ramsey picking where he plays before the snap, switching positions with Darious Williams on the fly.

“Me and (Raheem Morris) just talk to each other,” Ramsey said Friday. “Or sometimes if I feel like being in a certain position, I’ll just tell D-Will (Darious Williams), ‘Hey, let’s switch’ or ‘let’s move’ or whatever the case may be. It’s just game planning.”

Ramsey said he no longer sees himself as just a cornerback, even though that’s how he’s been viewed his entire career. He’s a defensive back capable of doing just about anything on the field.

“I feel like I’m just a defensive back so I can play anywhere on the field, and that’s just part of my game. That’s part of where my impact comes from, is being physical and not just covering guys,” he said.