DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr top All-Pro corner's best receivers list
Wednesday 30 October 2019 19:54, UK
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey is known as loud, outspoken and a trash-talker. But which wide receivers does he respect? He spoke to Sky Sports analyst Will Blackmon about the top wideouts he has faced...
The 25-year-old Ramsey, a two-time Pro Bowler and first-team All Pro in 2017, is regarded as one of the best corners in the game - if not the best. He was traded from the Jaguars to Rams earlier this month for two first-round picks and a fourth, a huge haul.
While in Jacksonville, he famously gave his unfiltered thoughts on quarterbacks around the league in an interview with GQ, where he called Josh Allen "trash", Matt Ryan "overrated" and Ben Roethlisberger "decent at best".
How does he feel about the wide receivers he has faced?
Before LA's 24-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley last Sunday, Blackmon asked Ramsey to list his top five wide receivers in the league.
"I think one and two for me immediately are DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr," Ramsey said. "I played D-Hop twice a year when I was in Jacksonville, that's why I have got so much respect for him. Every play was a grind - I had to bring my A-game.
"OBJ, I only played him once but it was the first game of the season, he was in New York. I had to follow him everywhere.
"Two totally different receivers: Odell quick-twitch, doesn't get tired, I had to play off, super fast. Just a different vibe [for each player] but they would be one and two for me."
On Sunday, Hopkins became the third-youngest player (27) to reach 8,000 receiving yards in his career. Beckham was also the fastest player in history to reach 200 catches and 4,000 yards (back in 2016).
It wouldn't be a surprise if most corners listed these two in their top five. How about the next-best wideouts?
"These next three, I don't know how to rank them," Ramsey said. "Definitely Julio (Jones). Julio would definitely be in there.
"I would love to play Julio again because I was kind of getting in my groove and coming off a back [injury], he was dealing with a little hip pointer [when the Rams played the Falcons in Ramsey's debut]. I won some battles, he won some battles but I just want to play him again.
"Of course, what he has done in the league and what I saw him do against me - just being powerful and being able to make plays when they were struggling and we had the pass rush going and everything - I would put Julio in there.
"I would put Antonio Brown in there when he was playing.
"And that fifth spot... I have got to leave it at four. That fifth spot is tough because there are a few guys."
Blackmon singled out Davante Adams as an option but Ramsey admitted: "I like Davante. I haven't played so that's the only reason I didn't put him immediately in there but I do like his game when I watch him.
"I like Amari Cooper's game, I like Keenan Allen's game, Jarvis Landry, Stefon Diggs, (Adam) Thielen, there are a few you could throw in there."
The Rams have a bye week after their London trip, but follow that with a trip to Pittsburgh where Ramsey will face 2018 Pro Bowl receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
