USC Trojans Safety Kamari Ramsey Generating NFL Draft Buzz

Ramsey, who started at UCLA as a redshirt freshman in 2023, before transferring to USC last season, chose to forgo this year’s NFL Draft and return to school for another season. 

The Sierra Canyon (Calif.) product was an instant impact player for the Trojans in 2024. Defensive culture had been an issue at USC during Lincoln Riley’s tenure, but the addition of Ramsey helped change the narrative. 

Ramsey tallied 60 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, two sacks, five PBUs and an interception in 11 games last season.

Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has been creative in the way he uses Ramsey in his defense to maximize his skillset. Lynn uses the redshirt junior in blitz packages. As a three-level defender, Ramsey showcased his range last season, playing a deep half safety. He’s physical and is excellent showing up in run support. 

He plays with tremendous instincts that comes from film study and possessing a high football IQ. Having Ramsey on the backend of the defense has been like having a coach on the field.

Ramsey will take on a new role in 2025, as the defensive player that wears the green dot, which signifies what player that is allowed to communicate with their sidelines via radio. A role that safety Akili Arnold held for the Trojans last season.

Lynn experimented using his versatile defensive back at the nickel position in the spring. 

“Just put anything on tape, put a lot of versatility on tape, showing the scouts and showing my teammates, showing my coaches I can do a lot of different things that can help us in the season,” Ramsey said in April. 

Ramsey is the only returning starter in the Trojans secondary from 2024, with the four of its five starters either moving onto the NFL or exhausting their eligibility. 

Ohio State junior Caleb Downs is virtually a lock to be the top safety off the board and perhaps the top defensive player drafted after back-to-back All-American campaigns to begin his collegiate career. Downs has an opportunity to be the first safety selected in the top 10 since the New York Jets drafted Jamal Adams with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The intrigue at the position becomes who will be the next safety off the board and can they sneak their way into the first round. The last time multiple safeties were drafted in round one was back in 2022, when Kyle Hamilton, Daxton Hill and Lewis Cine all heard their name called on night one.