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Jacksonville Jaguars' Caleb Ransaw can't wait to hit, but rookie must prove himself in other ways
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- Jacksonville Jaguars' Caleb Ransaw can't wait to hit, but rookie must prove himself in other ways
Defensive back Caleb Ransaw has always been a sure tackler, fundamentally sound and with a complementary zest for contact.
However, one of the Jacksonville Jaguars' two third-round draft picks is staying patient during the Jacksonville Jaguars ' Organized Team Activities and said that will carry over to mandatory minicamp June 10-12.
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The Jaguars won't be in pads until after the start of training camp in late July, and OTAs and minicamp — especially for rookies — are about installation and acclimation to the NFL life.
That said, Ransaw (6 feet, 196 pounds) does admit to giving a wide receiver or two a slight pop during OTAs. But he understands the need to prove himself in other ways than sheer physical contact.
There will be time for that later.
"I think I did that twice," he said after the Jaguars' OTA on June 5 at the Miller Electric Center about taking contact beyond the permitted level with players running around in shorts and jerseys with no pads. "Here, it's very professional. You want to stay off the guys as much as possible. For the most part I'm really not impatient for I know it's going to come. When it's time, I'm going to turn it on."
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Caleb Ransaw adjusting to new position
Ransaw has stayed busy since rookie minicamp in the transition from the nickel corner spot he played at Tulane to safety with the Jaguars.
While his speed and other skills have never been questioned (his 4.33 40-yard dash time was third among all cornerbacks at the NFL combine and he led the position group with a 40-inch vertical leap) his coverage skills were judged to be a bit raw and with the Jaguars relatively deep at corner, he will try to bolster a safety group that struggled last season.
Defensive backs coach Anthony Perkins said Ransaw so far is delivering on expectations.
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"During the draft process, based on his skill set, what he showed on tape, that he'd be able to make that transitions and play more as a safety," Perkins said. "He hasn't disappointed. He's gone a tremendous job. Every day is a new day. Every rep is a new rep. He's learning and he's doing a tremendous job of picking it up."
And Ransaw might make most of his impact in run support. He had only one college interception at Troy and Tulane, and two as a senior at Sparkman High School in Harvest, Ala., but was a force on running down ball carriers and receivers or coming up hard to the second level.
Ransaw had four tackles for losses and a sack last year for the Green Wave and in 2023 for Troy, he had 28 solo tackles and forced a fumble.
He was Troy's top-rated tackler in 2022 by Pro Football Focus, blamed for only two missed tackles all season.
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"He's super athletic and he's got a very high ceiling in this league," Perkins said. "I'm excited to see him continue to grow within the schemes of our defense."
Caleb Ransaw credits coaches with schooling him on tackling
Ransaw said he's had the good fortune to play for high school and college coaches who emphasized fundamentals in tackling.
"Throughout my whole career I played for coaches who harped on tackling," he said. "I've been doing it all my life and I guess it's just my gift, being able to do it, closing spaces, things like that."
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He gets another of those coaches in Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile , who is charged with improving a unit that was at or near the bottom of almost every category last season.
Ransaw is being challenged by Campanile, and he said he loves it.
"He's a hard coach," Ransaw said. "I've had a lot of people like that in my life ... a group of good coaches throughout my lifetime so I really like that."
Communication will be the key at safety
Ransaw said playing cornerback and safety has challenges both ways but said one key aspect of safety play that he's learning is communication.
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And anyone who watched the Jaguars deep coverage players rarely on the same page last season knows how important that simple aspect of defensive play is.
"It's a lot more communication at safety," he said. "In my college defenses I was a communicator as well, and it's nothing really that bigger."
He said having to cover wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr., and first-round draft pick Travis Hunter is helping with his transition.
"I'm happy they're on my team," he said.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars' Caleb Ransaw adjusts as NFL rookie in new position
