Which Jaguars' draft pick was a 'draft crush' of GM James Gladstone?
Of the Jacksonville Jaguars' nine NFL draft picks, which one might be deemed as GM James Gladstone's 'draft crush'?
Mike Silver of The Athletic spent all three days of the NFL draft in the Jaguars' draft room. Among the several stories from those three days that Silver recalled was how Round 3 unfolded for the Jaguars, and within that, was the mention of Gladstone's affinity for Ransaw.
"It's common for them to develop what are known in NFL circles as draft crushes," Silver wrote. "In Gladstone's case, Tulane defensive back Caleb Ransaw was such a player."
Ransaw is a speedy and versatile defender. During the pre-draft process, he ran a 4.33-second 40 and 5-11 and 197 pounds.
After playing his first three seasons at Troy, Ransaw transferred to Tulane for the 2024 season. The bulk of his snaps that season came from the slot, but throughout his career, he has safety experience lining up in the box, and he's played on the boundary as well. Ransaw has proven to be a reliable tackler and stingy in coverage, allowing a completion rate of just 44% this past season.
When Gladstone first joined the Jaguars, he wasn't all that familiar with Ransaw, but he quickly became a player who found himself on the GM'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. 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."
Given Ransaw's experience playing in the box and from the slot, he could compete for playing time as the Jaguars' strong safety to pair with Eric Murray.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Opinions can vary on Garrett Wilson and what he "deserves.'' But "deserves'' isn't always how this works. The market sets itself, and the Jets know this.
Opinions can vary on Garrett Wilson and what he "deserves.'' But "deserves'' isn't always how this works. The market sets itself, and the Jets know this. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. We know that the New York Jets' contract extension talks with receiver Garrett Wilson are underway, with suggestions that this might be a slow roll on the way toward training camp. Advertisement And we also know that corner Sauce Gardner and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson are also due to join Wilson in wanting to get paid, meaning new general manager Darren Mougey figures to be a busy man. And what about Wilson's numbers? We have our educated guesses. And others have their uneducated ones. Example? The Jets receiver is the subject of shockingly bad contract prediction from quarterback-turned-analyst Kurt Benkert. "I think that Garrett Wilson could very easily get a four-year, $96 million contract," Benkert said. Wait. What? Let's do some math here. Wilson, whose fifth-year option will cost New York $16.8 million, is likely to view himself as a superstar - or, at least, a budding one. The going rate for such a player isn't a number that hovers above $20 mil; that's about $10 million shy. Advertisement Wilson, 24, despite shaky QB play, has become a 1,000-yard perennial. ESPN's Ben Solak has even predicted that in 2025 Wilson will lead the NFL in receiving yards. Opinions can vary on Wilson and what he "deserves.'' But "deserves'' isn't always how this works. The market sets itself. There are now nine NFL receivers who make over $29 million per year. The next wave of great receivers will be chasing a number like that. Not everybody in the media might see it. But we bet the Jets do. Related: Jets Issue 'Perfect Storm' All-Pro Comparison To Armand Membou This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
New York Jets Urged to Sign Pro Bowl Receiver
New York Jets Urged to Sign Pro Bowl Receiver originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets have one of the brightest young stars in the NFL at wide receiver in Garrett Wilson. Despite being plagued by subpar and inconsistent quarterback play his entire NFL career, Wilson has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in each of his three NFL seasons. Advertisement Entering 2025, the Jets, like most of Wilson's career, don't have a clear No. 2 on the roster. New York is hopeful that they have found a solution to their quarterback inconsistencies, signing Wilson's college teammate Justin Fields to a two-year deal. But outside of Wilson, the rest of the receiver depth chart is a mixup of veterans Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds, and Tyler Johnson, as well as rookie Arian Smith. and second year Malachi Corley Pro Football Sports Network Brandon put together a list of one free agent each NFL team should target, and for the Jets, his pick is former Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper. "Amari Cooper is not nearly the player he once was, but he could still be an upgrade for the Jets." Austin noted. "He does turn 31 before the season starts and will need to prove he still has enough left in the tank to have a feature role in an offense. Cooper has had a strong NFL career, recording more than 10,000 receiving yards. He's long been viewed as a reliable go-to option, but things never materialized for him in Buffalo." Advertisement Cooper has made four Pro Bowls in his 10 NFL seasons, most recently in 2023 with the Cleveland Browns, where he turned in a 1,250 yard, five touchdown season. Cooper made Pro Bowls on three of the four NFL teams he's played on, the lone exception being a Jets' AFC East rival in the Buffalo Bills, who Cooper played eight games for lost season. "Cooper's size, experience, and route-running ability should still attract a Jets offense that finished 20th in EPA per dropback and 21st in pass success rate," Austin wrote. "His ceiling isn't what it used to be, but with Wilson leading the pack and a talented backfield that features Breece Hall, New York won't need Cooper to be the top option." Related: Robert Saleh Taking Three Ex-Jets to 49ers Related: Jets Contract Talks With Garrett Wilson Underway Amid Shocking Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The New York Jets have perhaps the best cornerback in the NFL in Sauce Gardner.
The New York Jets have perhaps the best cornerback in the NFL in Sauce Gardner. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets have taken a lot of pride in their defense over the past several seasons, especially their ability to defend the pass. Advertisement And there is one player who really shines in that area. In a recent article by PFF's John Kosko, he ranks who he believes are the top 32 cornerbacks in the league heading into the 2025 season. At the top spot in his list, he has Jets superstar Sauce Gardner. "Gardner's 91.9 PFF coverage grade since 2022 leads the league. He has forced a league-high 46 incompletions and allowed a league-low 0.60 yards per cover snap and 21.4% first-down-plus-touchdown rate over that span," Kosko wrote. "Unsurprisingly, Gardner's PFF advanced coverage grade ranks first, as well. While he might not shadow opposing wide receivers at a high rate, he has excelled when asked to do so." He had a bit of a slower season in 2024, but so did the rest of the Jets. With that being said, he has racked up some impressive stats in just three seasons in the league. Advertisement Gardner was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, as well as being named First Team All-Pro in both of his first two seasons. He also led the NFL in passes defended in his rookie year with 20, which goes to show just how good the 24-year-old corner already is. He will be looking to bounce back from his slightly disappointing 2024 and prove that he is still worthy of the title of the best cornerback in the NFL. Related: Jets' 'Up And Comers' Running Back Room Poised For Breakout Year? Related: Jets Among Biggest Winners of June 1 Cap Update This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
