Jose Ramirez NFL Draft Overview
Position: EDGE
Height: 6′-2″
Weight: 242 pounds
School: Eastern Michigan
2023 NFL Draft: Jose Ramirez Scouting Report
After spending the past five years in the NCAA, Jose Ramirez is finally ready to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. The edge defender was one of the best collegiate players at his position last year, as he racked up 66 tackles, 19.5 tackles-for-loss, and 12 sacks in 12 games for Eastern Michigan.
Ramirez originally began his college football career in an interesting manner. After committing to play at South Alabama, he changed his mind and decided to join Arizona prior to the 2017 season. He didn’t see a single snap, however, and transferred to Riverside City College in 2018. After one season there, he once again switched teams, joining Eastern Michigan.
After not seeing the field in 2019, Ramirez played in six games in 2020. While on the field, he recorded 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, and two sacks. He broke out in a big way during the 2021 season, recording 62 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, and 6.5 sacks in 13 games.
Strengths
- Fast off the snap with impressive acceleration;
- Tremendous balance – can rush at an angle and stay on his feet;
- Multiple pass rushing moves on display as demonstrated by his impressive production;
- Follows the football and chases down the ball carrier no matter where they are on the field;
- Quickness makes tackles miss their punch, allowing him to gain leverage in a rush.
Weaknesses
- Very small for the position;
- Ok athleticism, but nothing extraordinary – will be hard for him to overcome size disparity with pedestrian traits;
- Older prospect – will be 24 by Week 1;
- Gets pushed around against the run;
- Cannot move inside even in passing situations – will get dominated by size;
- Needs to add more strength – struggles when blockers can match his speed.
NFL Comparison: John Simon
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Rounds 4-5
Bottom Line on Jose Ramirez
While he played all three downs in college, Jose Ramirez enters the NFL Draft as a player that will likely spend his professional career as a situational pass rusher. You can’t record 12 sacks in a season without knowing how to get to the quarterback, and Ramirez’s impressive combination of speed, acceleration, and contact balance allows him to fly past tackles and take down the passer. Additionally, if he’s going against a mobile quarterback, he usually has the athletic ability to catch up with those guys and take them down.
The biggest weakness in Ramirez’s game is his weakness against the run. In today’s NFL, pass defense is far more important than run defense, but you still need to have some level of competence in the ground game. Ramirez is pushed around way too regularly, and this all traces back to his lack of size. The Eastern Michigan product tested in the 2nd percentile in height and the 5th percentile in weight, and that small build shows up any time opposing offenses hand the ball off.
Some smaller edge defenders are able to overcome smaller builds thanks in large part to elite athleticism and disproportionate strength. Ramirez is a fine athlete, but he’s not an insane outlier like Nolan Smith, and the fact that he’ll be 24 in just a few weeks implies that he doesn’t have much more room for growth.
Ultimately, Jose Ramirez is a player that is pretty good at getting after the quarterback, but that’s about it. While that is the most important skill an edge rusher can have, it’s hard to imagine a team investing anything more than a Day 3 pick in a limited player with minimal room for growth.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
