2023 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Eastern Michigan EDGE Jose Ramirez

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents Today, I’ll be profiling Eastern Michigan EDGE Jose Ramirez.

#4 Jose Ramirez, EDGE, Eastern Michigan (R-Senior) – 6017, 242lb

Shrine Bowl/Combine Invite

Measurements

The Good

— Plays with good speed and burst off the LOS
— Able to chase down ballcarriers in backside pursuit
— Plays with a hot motor as he chases down his prey as a pass rusher
— Has the physicality to handle TEs tasked with blocking him
— Utilizes a long arm move to walk back blockers into the pocket
— Can win with leverage as a pass rusher thanks to his compact frame
— Has multiple tools when it comes to winning as a rusher
— Wins with pure speed, a stab/swipe combo, a dip/rip combo, and a ghost move
— Has the balance to turn the corner at the top of the arc and finish at the QB
— Has a good feel for challenging tackles at the top of the arc and countering back inside
— Has a knack of going for the football in attempt to create turnovers
— Gets his hands up in attempt to deflect passes when he doesn’t get home
— Profiles as a core special-teams guy at the next level

The Bad

— Lacks ideal size, height, and length for the position
— Lack of length leads to blockers getting hands on him and neutralizing his rush
— Will get covered up at LOS and lose outside contain against the run
— Doesn’t have the mass and anchor to sit in against base blocks by strong OL
— Can be inconsistent with power as a rusher as well as in run defense
— Doesn’t have great ankle flexion and wins around the corner more with speed than bend
— Has a problem disengaging from blocks
— Doesn’t have much experience dropping into coverage
— Will be relegated to passing down snaps, at least early in his career
— Will be a 24-year-old rookie

Bio

— Redshirt Senior Prospect from Lake Alfred, FL
— Born May 9, 1999 (age 23)
— Played at Auburndale High School and was an All-Florida pick as a senior
— Ranked as a three-star recruit and earned four letters in football at wide receiver while playing cornerback, safety, and linebacker
— Signed with Arizona and redshirted his first year
— Transferred to Riverside City College in 2018 and played in 12 games, recording 44 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble
— Joined EMU in 2019 and played in four games as a reserve
— Started all six games in the shortened 2020 campaign and racked up 27 tackles, 2.5 for loss. and two sacks
— Started eight of 13 games played in 2021 and recorded 63 total stops, 12.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles
— Broke out in 2022 to the tune of 66 total tackles, 19.5 TFLs, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two PBUs while starting 11 of 13 games played
— 2022 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 third-team Associated Press All-American, 2022 first-team All-MAC, 2020-21 Third Team All-MAC
— Psychology major

Tape Breakdown

Jose Ramirez bounced around a little bit before finding a home at Eastern Michigan. The journey was well worth it for the pass rusher, who is coming off a prolific 2022 campaign when he earned third-team All-American honors as well as being named 2022 MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Ramirez has played multiple positions dating back to high school, and you can see that athleticism and nose for the football pop on tape now as a straight-ahead edge rusher.

Ramirez is shorter by edge rusher standards, but he uses his size and leverage well in his pass rush. He explodes off the LOS and challenge OTs vertically as they try and set the depth of the pocket, using his bend and low surface area to work under and around blocks. You can see that in the two sacks Ramirez gets below against Kent State and Western Michigan, respectively.

Ramirez is a well-versed pass rusher who has several tools that he can use to win against pass blockers in pursuit of the QB. One of his go-to moves is the stab/swipe combo that you see below against the Broncos, stabbing with one arm as he swipes the hand down of the blocker with his other arm to clear the block and get home for the sack.

For being just a shade under 6’2, Ramirez has decent arm length at 32 3/4”. He uses the long arm to walk back his competition into the pocket thanks to his power and leverage. You see that in the first clip against Kent State where Ramirez gets the pressure. But he also uses the long arm in the second clip to keep the blocker off his chest as he works around the corner and pounces on the QB for the sack.

Ramirez plays with great effort in pursuit of the football as you can see in the clips below, showing quickness and urgency to work around the block and get in on the tackle in backside pursuit of the football against the run.

While Ramirez uses his size to his advantage as a pass rusher, his lack of length and functional strength limits his upside and effectiveness on run downs. He can get overwhelmed by bigger blockers who latch onto him and neutralize him against the run and can have a difficult time disengaging from blocks in pass protection when his initial move fails. Here are a couple of examples in which Ramirez’s size limits his effectiveness as a pass rusher and run defender when it comes to defeating blocks and pursuing the football.

Conclusion

Jose Ramirez best profiles as a sub-package edge rusher who is comfortable playing as a standup pass rusher that uses a diversified pass-rush skill set to win in his pursuit to the QB. He has improved as a pass rusher every season in college and flashed at the Shrine Bowl while posting respectful athletic testing numbers at the Combine. Still, the lack of size and strength will potentially hurt Ramirez’s chances of becoming a three-down player at the next level unless he improves his play strength and learns to win with leverage more.

When watching Ramirez, Quincy Roche came to mind as a similar player with similar measurables (6’2 5/8”, 245lb, 32 1/4” arms), athletic testing, and a varied pass rush skill set. Roche was also well-traveled, starting his college career at Temple before transferring to Miami, accumulating 30.5 sacks and 54 TFLs in his college career. He ended up getting drafted by Pittsburgh in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft after being projected as a mid-round pick. He likely fell due to concerns about his size and ability to hold up as a run defender at the next level, much like Ramirez.

I expect Ramirez to go somewhere on Day Three, much like Roche, and become a quality rotational pass rusher that can contribute right away on special teams. He could earn a bigger role in the league but will need to improve his run defense and become stronger at the point of attack to keep outside contain and shed blocks. The Steelers need depth at OLB, and a player with Ramirez’s skill set could be a viable option should he be on the board later in the draft.

Projection: Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 – Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: at Kent State (2022), at Western Michigan (2022), vs Central Michigan (2022), Shrine Bowl (2022)