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Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey steps into spotlight on Seminoles defense

By Kerry Belkin

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Florida State’s defense struggled in many areas last season, but this year they are looking to improve in a big way behind star defensive leader Jalen Ramsey.

Florida State’s defense last year was admittedly pedestrian considering the overwhelming plethora of talent the Seminoles seem to reel in year in and year out.

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The Seminoles finished 50th in the nation in scoring defense last year, allowing 25.6 points per game, a stark contrast to the 12.1 points per game they allowed the year before. What was once the nation’s top pass defense only managed to rank 57th against the pass, and 68th against the run.

The one constant from both the national championship defense and the mediocre defense that Florida State put on the field last year is defensive standout cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

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Ramsey has started every game of his career at Florida State and lined up everywhere in the defensive backfield during his two seasons. Ramsey is one of the most indispensable players in college football this year and does a lot of everything.

Last year he was all over the field, racking up 80 tackles, including 9.5 for loss. His tackles for loss were second on the team behind former defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. He also had three sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, 12 passes defended, and even added a blocked kick to his already impressive resume.

He was a clutch defender too with the game-clinching interception in the end zone in the closing seconds against Notre Dame and most of his 12 passes he broke up came late in games.

Ramsey has supreme talent with the potential to be the best defensive player in the nation this season and be a top-10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Seminoles defense will live and die with Ramsey’s performance with his ability to change games on one play. With Florida State having questions at quarterback and needing to replace stars on defense, Ramsey is the difference between making the Playoff or finishing in second place in the division to Clemson.

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