USC Safety Could Be the Draft's Biggest Sleeper

Every NFL Draft produces a handful of late-round or under-the-radar picks who end up outperforming the big names. This year, one USC Trojans safety is generating buzz as exactly that kind of player.

Kamari Ramsey, who transferred to USC and became a cornerstone of the Trojans' defense, is quietly emerging as a sleeper pick that scouts and analysts believe could make an immediate impact at the next level. While the first round will be dominated by quarterbacks, edge rushers, and the usual headline names, Ramsey represents the type of value pick that separates good drafts from great ones.

What makes Ramsey intriguing is his versatility. He's shown the ability to play both deep coverage and in the box, diagnosing plays quickly and delivering reliable tackles in run support. In a league that increasingly demands safeties who can match up against tight ends, cover ground in zone, and support the run, Ramsey checks multiple boxes.

His path to this point hasn't been the typical five-star-to-first-round trajectory. The transfer to USC required him to prove himself in a new system, against Pac-12 competition, and he did exactly that. His film from the 2025 season shows a player who reads quarterbacks well, takes smart angles, and rarely takes himself out of plays with overaggression.

NFL teams looking for a safety on day two or early day three of the draft could find Ramsey to be one of the best values on the board. His combination of football intelligence, physicality, and positional flexibility makes him a fit for multiple defensive schemes.

The draft is always full of surprises, and the players who end up starting as rookies aren't always the ones selected on Thursday night. Ramsey has the kind of profile that suggests he could be one of those players.

What This Means For You: If you're an NFL fan, keep Ramsey's name on your radar during day two and three of the draft. If your team needs safety help — and most do — he could be exactly the kind of pick that pays off early. And if you're a USC fan, this is another data point showing that the Trojans' transfer portal strategy is producing NFL-caliber talent.