ESPN released its annual NFL rank on Monday, predicting the top 100 players of the 2025 season. The list notably excluded Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who will play for his third team in four years after being traded by the Miami Dolphins in June.
Following the release of their NFL rank, ESPN polled league executives to come up with another list of the top snubs. Ramsey’s name came up, with many still feeling that he is a premier cornerback in the league despite his recent career trend.
“He can outstay his welcome,” an anonymous personnel director told ESPN. “But when he’s motivated and locked in, he’s still really good.”
Ramsey, 31, is still in the back end of his athletic prime. His numbers suggested as much in 2024, when he recorded 60 tackles, 11 pass breakups, two interceptions and one sack. However, he missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2016 due to the Dolphins’ disappointing 8-9 season.
Ramsey’s exclusion from the list came one year after he was listed at No. 45 in 2024. Despite coming off a knee injury in 2023, ESPN felt that he was still an “elite cornerback” due to his 2023 Pro Bowl nomination.
Some fans are expecting the Steelers to take a step back in 2025, but Pittsburgh appears to be angling for improvement. While the team’s offense is questionable, its defense is poised to be one of the league’s elite units. They boasted the seventh-best scoring defense in 2024 and are expected to improve with the additions of Ramsey, Darius Slay, and Derrick Harmon.
The Steelers lost safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the Ramsey trade, but replaced him with veteran Juan Thornhill. Having Ramsey and Slay join Joey Porter Jr. in the secondary further bolstered the unit. Pittsburgh allowed the 10th-most passing yards per game in 2024, but it should be better than average in 2025.
While the Steelers have been notoriously mediocre for years, their defense has been elite under defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The new-look unit starts the year with a fairly soft schedule before facing tests against the Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, and Green Bay Packers in the middle of the season.
