Caleb Ransaw boosted his draft stock at the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 28 when he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash – the sixth-fastest overall and the third-fastest among the cornerbacks at this year’s event.

But perhaps Ransaw should be viewed as the combine’s fastest safety, because the former Sparkman High School standout will begin his NFL career at that position after the Jacksonville Jaguars chose him in the third round of the 90th draft on April 25.

“He’ll have the entire defensive-back group that he’ll be moving in and out of,” Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said, “but I think to start it will be at the safety spot, and then we’ll go from there.”

Jacksonville selected Ransaw from Tulane, where he played one season after three years at Troy. Ransaw followed Trojans coach Jon Sumrall and some of his assistant coaches from Troy to the Green Wave in 2024.

“I’m just a versatile player,” Ransaw said about opening his NFL career as a safety. “You know, I can play at any defensive-back spot, whether that’s nickel, which I’ve been playing. I grew up playing corner. I started at corner in college as well, my sophomore season. And then in the Senior Bowl I showcased safety, so honestly, it’s football to me. I love football. I love the game, so wherever I’m needed and that’s where I’m ready to go.”

The Jaguars have done some offseason work on their secondary after yielding the most passing yards in the NFL in 2024.

Jacksonville signed safety Eric Murray from the Houston Texans and slot corner Jourdan Lewis from the Dallas Cowboys as free agents.

Ransaw was the Jaguars’ second draft pick after Jacksonville took Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter with the second selection.

Gladstone said detailing what he liked about Ransaw would be “an endless list.”

“He was somebody that really sparked my interest once I got on the job here,” the first-year general manager said after picking Ransaw. “Not a player that I had enough familiarity with walking into the door. But our coaches did such a good job articulating the vision for his usage, opened my eyes to a lot of elements that he possesses. And one of the things that really jumps out more than anything is the versatility, and as we look at that defensive-back room, obviously, the capacity to play corner, play safety – you know, he showcased the post work at the all-star circuit that really jumped out.

“Obviously, if you were to ever look at his stat page, what stands out is his tackle ratio. The root word of the position safety is safe, and he’s somebody that can make sure that when there is someone who gets loose, he can get him down. And you notice that the on-ball production isn’t something that jumps out because he was put in a ton of man tasks and his eyes weren’t on the ball, and once he got to the Senior Bowl and he was playing with vision at the quarterback, playing from the post, he had a lot of on-ball production in that setting. And so that was certainly something that caught our attention.

“And, you know, beyond just the on-field play — and this is for both (third-round offensive lineman) Wyatt (Milum) and for Caleb — they are players who possess the Jaguar DNA that we’ve leaned into at each pick point so far and intend on doing the same moving forward, and that is everything that I’ve touched on to date of players and people who are intangibly rich. So that was really something that led us in that direction and stood out from start to finish.”

Ransaw will get his first work with the Jaguars this weekend during the team’s rookie minicamp on Friday through Sunday.

“Expect a dog,” Ransaw said. “I’m going 100 percent every play, 110 percent every play, no matter what I’m playing – special teams, DB, anything. They can put me at lineman, I’m going to give it my all. But, you know, I’m competitive. I’m ready to go in and dominate Day 1.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.