Jalen Ramsey Becomes First Steeler To Appear On NFL’s 2026 Top-100 List

Defensive back Jalen Ramsey is the first Pittsburgh Steeler to appear on the NFL Network’s annual Top-100 list. As voted on by the players, Ramsey comes in at No. 82. It’s a drop from 2025 when he slotted 66th.

Here are Ramsey’s recent rankings

2022 – 9th
2023 – 36th
2024 – 25th
2025 – 66th
2026 – 82nd

Pittsburgh acquired Ramsey a little more than a year ago in a headline trade that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for TE Jonnu Smith and Ramsey along with late-round draft pick swaps.

Brought in to play outside cornerback in key matchups like against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ramsey instead made a midseason switch to safety. He finished the year with 88 tackles, eight pass breakups, three sacks, and one interception. He also made a highlight play to close out a Week 1 win over the New York Jets, forcing a fourth down incompletion to preserve Pittsburgh’s victory. In the above clip, Alex Highsmith points out that play as one he’ll “always remember.”

Ramsey ended the year with another Pro Bowl bid, the eighth of this career.

“Jalen’s always been a special athlete man,” veteran safety Kevin Byard said via NFL Network. “I think he’s one of the few guys in the league, maybe in league history, to make the seamless transition from Pro Bowl corner to Pro Bowl safety.”

Retained this offseason under a new coaching staff, Ramsey figures to split time between safety and slot corner. He could play a roving “Star” position under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The staff has compared him to former NFL defensive back Charles Woodson, who made a similar transition late in his career.

Though Ramsey is in his 30s and no longer the premier player he was at his peak, he still garners plenty of respect from his peers.

Ramsey is the first but won’t be the last Steeler to make the list. T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward are also likely to be included, though they may end up being the only three.