Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey made the All-Pro team at his chosen position. He was hoping to make it at a second position.
“I started thinking about how previous years they did like two corners and then they get like a slot for DB,” Ramsey told reporters on Friday. “But I guess they switched that up this year, so they didn’t do that this year. Because initially going into it I was hopeful that maybe I could get All-Pro at two separate categories, but they switched it up. So it is what it is, but I’m super grateful and thankful.”
They actually switched it up in 2020. As of 2019, they had a flex/catch-all defensive back position, allowing in theory someone to make as a cornerback and as a defensive back.
It’s not a realistic objective, unless he landed on a sufficient plurality of ballots as the second cornerback and a sufficient plurality of others as the catch-all. The truly best cornerback in the game will get at least 50 of the 100 total votes cast for All-Pro corner, with someone else getting the bulk of the catch-all vote.
For Ramsey, the unrealistic desire to get the extra recognition flows from the flexibility with which he plays.
“I’m always trying to challenge myself,” Ramsey said. “I’m always trying to strive for bigger levels and bigger heights in my career. That is just the way that I challenge myself personally and push myself personally. So people used to only play corner on the outside. Now playing all over the secondary a little bit. I like to be seen as a defensive back more than just the corner. But either is fine or both is fine. As long as I can help make a big impact on the games for the team, then I’m all good.”
Ramsey received 32 votes at cornerback, second to Trevon Diggs of the Cowboys.