Why the Jaguars Picked Tulane's Caleb Ransaw

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the offseason wanting to upgrade the secondary, and it certainly seems like they have done it with the selection of Tulane's Caleb Ransaw.

Ransaw is one of the most athletic defenders in the draft and already figures to be used as a chess piece in the Jaguars secondary as he matures his game.

But the biggest reason the Jaguars took Ransaw is clear -- they needed to invest in the safety position to avoid a repeat of the 2024 season, where safety play frequently doomed the Jaguars' defense.

The Jaguars' coaching staff appears to be the driving force in the team's infatuation with Ransaw and the potential role he can play in the new-look defense. A role that last year was lost in the shuffle.

"I don't know how much time we got, but he was somebody that really sparked my interest once I got on the job here. Not a player that I had enough familiarity with walking into the door, but our coaches did such a good job articulating the vision for his usage, opened my eyes to a lot of elements that he possesses," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said on Friday.

"One of the things that really jumps out more than anything is the versatility. As we look at that defensive back room, obviously the capacity to play corner, play safety, he showcased the post work at the All-Star Circuit that really jumped out. Obviously, if you were to ever look at his stat page, what stands out is his tackle ratio. The root word of the position safety is safe, and he's somebody that can make sure that when there is someone who gets loose, he can get them down.

Ransaw did not play much safety until during the offseason circuit, but he did enough to make the Jaguars want to make him a core piece of what they are building moving forward.

“Growing up, I’ve been a corner my whole life. Then my junior and senior season, the past year, I’ve been playing nickel. So, I’ve been primarily nickel. Not really much safety. Senior Bowl, that was my turning point, basically, just showcasing more versatility and more things I can do," Ransaw said on Friday after his selection.

"I just played safety the majority of my snaps and showcased that I have ball skills, catching the pick, I know how to make production on the ball. I’m also coming down to tackle, I’m closing space, coming down, making hits. I’m not afraid.”