In the third round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Tulane defensive back Caleb Ransaw to bolster their safety depth and the competition overall at that position group.
Let’s take a closer look at that selection with five things to know about Ransaw.
Ransaw was James Gladstone’s “draft crush”
NFL GMs are just like us; there are certain prospects each draft cycle who seem to stand out above the rest and can fall into the “draft crush” category. According to Mike Silver of The Athletic, for James Gladstone, that prospect was Ransaw.
While diving into the 2025 draft class during his time with the Rams, Ransaw was not a player that Gladstone was all that familiar with. But once he arrived in Jacksonville, Ransaw quickly found himself on Gladstone’s radar.
“One of the things that really jumps out more than anything is the versatility,” Gladstone said of Ransaw via Jaguars on SI. “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.”
A versatile defender
During his time at Tulane, Ransaw, particularly over the last two seasons, spent the majority of his snaps lined up in the slot. But in addition to that, he also played 275 snaps as an outside cornerback during the 2022 season, and has 259 career snaps lined up at the line of scrimmage, and another 152 snaps as a box defender.
With the Jaguars, Ransaw is listed as a safety and can likely compete right away for the starting strong safety role next to Eric Murray. The strong safety is often tasked with playing closer to the line of scrimmage, which is where most of Ransaw’s college snaps have come, but with his versatility, he could wear a variety of hats in Anthony Campanile’s malleable defensive scheme.
A reliable tackler
If a defender is going to be playing the bulk of their snaps near the line of scrimmage, whether that be in the slot or lining up in the box, they better be a sound tackler to help out in the run game, and Ransaw has proven to be that.
Over the last three seasons, Ransaw’s missed tackle rate, according to PFF, was at just 5.3%. For some context, a missed tackle rate of 5.9% last season was the sixth-lowest mark among all safeties. In 2023, Ransaw was one of PFF’s highest graded run defenders at the safety position.
“Obviously, if you were to ever look at his stat page, what stands out is his tackle ratio,” Gladstone said. “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.”
Stingy in coverage
Between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Ransaw has been targeted 56 times and has surrendered only 28 receptions for a completion rate of just 50%. Pass-catchers have averaged 10.3 yards per catch, while opposing quarterbacks have a collective passer rating during that span of 76.2. Ransaw also came away with an interception and three pass breakups.
An excellent athlete
Ransaw was one of the standout performers at the NFL combine across all position groups. This included running a 4.33-second 40, recording a 40″ vertical, and 10-09 feet on the broad jump.
Overall, he posted a near-perfect Relative Athletic Score of 9.75 out of 10.00. Among all cornerbacks who have registered a RAS since 1987, Ransaw’s 9.75 mark ranked as the 71st best out of 2,761 eligible corners.
Caleb Ransaw was drafted in round 3 pick 88 in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.75 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 71 out of 2761 CB from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/GZj4oCy4KBpic.twitter.com/UBRxgMjheO
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 26, 2025
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2025 NFL draft: 5 Things to know about Jaguars’ DB Caleb Ransaw
In the third round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Tulane defensive back Caleb Ransaw to bolster their safety depth and the competition overall at that position group.
Let’s take a closer look at that selection with five things to know about Ransaw.
Ransaw was James Gladstone’s “draft crush”
NFL GMs are just like us; there are certain prospects each draft cycle who seem to stand out above the rest and can fall into the “draft crush” category. According to Mike Silver of The Athletic, for James Gladstone, that prospect was Ransaw.
While diving into the 2025 draft class during his time with the Rams, Ransaw was not a player that Gladstone was all that familiar with. But once he arrived in Jacksonville, Ransaw quickly found himself on Gladstone’s radar.
“One of the things that really jumps out more than anything is the versatility,” Gladstone said of Ransaw via Jaguars on SI. “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.”
A versatile defender
During his time at Tulane, Ransaw, particularly over the last two seasons, spent the majority of his snaps lined up in the slot. But in addition to that, he also played 275 snaps as an outside cornerback during the 2022 season, and has 259 career snaps lined up at the line of scrimmage, and another 152 snaps as a box defender.
With the Jaguars, Ransaw is listed as a safety and can likely compete right away for the starting strong safety role next to Eric Murray. The strong safety is often tasked with playing closer to the line of scrimmage, which is where most of Ransaw’s college snaps have come, but with his versatility, he could wear a variety of hats in Anthony Campanile’s malleable defensive scheme.
A reliable tackler
If a defender is going to be playing the bulk of their snaps near the line of scrimmage, whether that be in the slot or lining up in the box, they better be a sound tackler to help out in the run game, and Ransaw has proven to be that.
Over the last three seasons, Ransaw’s missed tackle rate, according to PFF, was at just 5.3%. For some context, a missed tackle rate of 5.9% last season was the sixth-lowest mark among all safeties. In 2023, Ransaw was one of PFF’s highest graded run defenders at the safety position.
“Obviously, if you were to ever look at his stat page, what stands out is his tackle ratio,” Gladstone said. “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.”
Stingy in coverage
Between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Ransaw has been targeted 56 times and has surrendered only 28 receptions for a completion rate of just 50%. Pass-catchers have averaged 10.3 yards per catch, while opposing quarterbacks have a collective passer rating during that span of 76.2. Ransaw also came away with an interception and three pass breakups.
An excellent athlete
Ransaw was one of the standout performers at the NFL combine across all position groups. This included running a 4.33-second 40, recording a 40″ vertical, and 10-09 feet on the broad jump.
Overall, he posted a near-perfect Relative Athletic Score of 9.75 out of 10.00. Among all cornerbacks who have registered a RAS since 1987, Ransaw’s 9.75 mark ranked as the 71st best out of 2,761 eligible corners.
Caleb Ransaw was drafted in round 3 pick 88 in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.75 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 71 out of 2761 CB from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/GZj4oCy4KBpic.twitter.com/UBRxgMjheO
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 26, 2025
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2025 NFL draft: 5 Things to know about Jaguars’ DB Caleb Ransaw
