The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most unique and versatile defensive backs in the entire NFL on their roster heading into 2026, and the rest of the league just gave him the recognition he deserves. Jalen Ramsey checked in at number 82 on the NFL Top 100 Players list this offseason, and at 31 years old, after completely reinventing himself from Pro Bowl cornerback to Pro Bowl safety, that ranking speaks volumes about just how much he still has left in the tank.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey during a regular season game against the New York Jets in the 2025 season.
Ramsey's placement on the NFL Top 100 is remarkable on its own. However, what makes this story truly special is the context behind it. He did not earn that ranking as the shutdown cornerback he once was in his prime years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and Miami Dolphins. He earned it by reinventing himself entirely, transitioning from one of the best corners in the game to a legitimate safety, and doing so at an age when most defensive backs are either declining rapidly or already out of the league.
New England Patriots safety Kevin Byard III spoke about Ramsey on a recent NFL Top 100 clip posted by the NFL on X.
"Jalen's always been a special athlete man. I think he's one of the few guys in this league, probably in league history, that can truly make that seamless transition to be a Pro Bowl corner and now a Pro Bowl safety."
That is an extraordinary statement from a man who knows exactly what it takes to play at a Pro Bowl level at safety in the NFL. Byard has been one of the most respected safeties in the league for years, and when he says Ramsey is one of the few players in league history capable of making this kind of transition seamlessly, that is not hyperbole. That is a professional evaluation from someone who understands the position at the highest level.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr. during a regular season win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2025 season.
As SteelerNation has covered, the Steelers' own secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. has already compared Ramsey to Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, another player who made that same rare transition late in his career and continued to produce at an elite level.
Steelers' Ramsey Is Still One Of The Best In The NFL
The numbers tell part of the story, but the real story is the mindset. Ramsey did not just accept a diminished role when it became clear his days as a true shutdown corner were behind him. He embraced the challenge, took on an entirely new position, and went out and earned a Pro Bowl nod doing it. That is the kind of competitive fire and professionalism that does not show up in any stat line but defines what kind of player and person you are. At 31 years old, with a new defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham and a completely overhauled scheme around him, Ramsey is walking into 2026 with arguably more versatility and more value to this defense than he has had at any point since arriving in Pittsburgh.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham watches on as defense works in minicamp.
Graham's two-high safety scheme is tailor made for a player like Ramsey. The ability to move him around the formation, disguise coverages, and create confusion for opposing quarterbacks is exactly the kind of chess piece every defensive coordinator dreams about having. TJ Watt is going to get his sacks. Joey Porter Jr. is going to lock down his side of the field. However, Ramsey roaming that secondary and creating chaos from a position nobody can quite pin down could be the most underrated weapon on this entire defense in 2026. The NFL ranked him No. 82 on the Top 100. By the end of this season, that number might look like a massive underestimation.
What do you think about Kevin Byard III's take on what Jalen Ramsey is doing at 31 years old? Let me know on X @hagenbackus94!
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