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Kamari Ramsey
Photo by: John McGillen / USC Athletics
USC’s Kamari Ramsey Selected by Houston Texans in Fifth Round of 2026 NFL Draft
April 25, 2026 | Football
LOS ANGELES – USC safety Kamari Ramsey was selected by the Houston Texans as the first pick of the fifth round (141st overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ramsey is USC's 536 all-time draftee. USC is second behind Notre Dame's 541 for most NFL Draft picks all time.
Ramsey is the 15th Trojan defensive back drafted since 2010.
He is the first Trojan picked by the Texans since Woody Marks was selected in the fourth round with the 116th overall pick in 2025.
Through his four-year career (2 seasons at UCLA and 2 seasons at USC), Ramsey recorded 133 tackles, including 9.5 for loss of 40 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 19 yards), 11 PBUs, 6 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles and 2 INTs while appearing in 35 games with 31 starts.
Throughout his two seasons at USC (2024 and 2025), Ramsey tallied 87 tackles, including 7 for loss of 29 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 19 yards), 7 PBUs, 4 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles and 1 INT while appearing and starting in 20 games.
Ramsey led the defensive backs as a redshirt junior safety in 2025. He notched 27 tackles, including 1.5 for loss of 3 yards, 3 QB hurries and 2 PBUs while seeing action and starting in 9 games for the Trojans. Ramsey was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He was also a 2026 Senior Bowl Invitee, a 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl Invitee and an NFL Combine participant.
In 2024, Ramsey recorded 60 tackles (tied for third on the team), including 5.5 for loss of 26 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 19 yards), 5 PBUs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 INT and 1 QB hurry while appearing and starting in 11 games (all but Rutgers and Washington) as a redshirt sophomore. He was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
As a redshirt freshman at UCLA in 2023, he recorded 40 tackles, including 2.5 for loss for 11 yards, 4 PBUs, 2 QB hurries and 1 INT while appearing in 11 games with 11 starts.
Ramsey redshirted as a true freshman at UCLA in 2022, but appeared in 4 games and collected 6 tackles.
USC has a rich NFL Draft history. USC has the most picks in the common draft era (1967), with 369 (next is Ohio State with 367 and Notre Dame with 326) as of the fifth round of the 2026 draft. USC holds the record for most players selected as the top pick of the NFL Draft (Ron Yary in 1968, O.J. Simpson in 1969, Ricky Bell in 1977, Keyshawn Johnson in 1996, Carson Palmer in 2003 and Caleb Williams in 2024). USC and Oklahoma are the only schools to have the No. 1 pick for 2 consecutive years (Yary and Simpson).
On Thursday (April 23), USC unanimous First Team All-American and 2025 Biletnikoff winner Makai Lemon was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the 20th pick of the first round.
Yesterday, wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane was selected by the Baltimore Ravens as the 16th pick of the third round (80th overall).
The 2025 NFL Draft concludes today (April 25) with the fourth through seventh rounds.
Ramsey is USC's 536 all-time draftee. USC is second behind Notre Dame's 541 for most NFL Draft picks all time.
Ramsey is the 15th Trojan defensive back drafted since 2010.
He is the first Trojan picked by the Texans since Woody Marks was selected in the fourth round with the 116th overall pick in 2025.
Through his four-year career (2 seasons at UCLA and 2 seasons at USC), Ramsey recorded 133 tackles, including 9.5 for loss of 40 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 19 yards), 11 PBUs, 6 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles and 2 INTs while appearing in 35 games with 31 starts.
Throughout his two seasons at USC (2024 and 2025), Ramsey tallied 87 tackles, including 7 for loss of 29 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 19 yards), 7 PBUs, 4 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles and 1 INT while appearing and starting in 20 games.
Ramsey led the defensive backs as a redshirt junior safety in 2025. He notched 27 tackles, including 1.5 for loss of 3 yards, 3 QB hurries and 2 PBUs while seeing action and starting in 9 games for the Trojans. Ramsey was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He was also a 2026 Senior Bowl Invitee, a 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl Invitee and an NFL Combine participant.
In 2024, Ramsey recorded 60 tackles (tied for third on the team), including 5.5 for loss of 26 yards (with 2 sacks for minus 19 yards), 5 PBUs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 INT and 1 QB hurry while appearing and starting in 11 games (all but Rutgers and Washington) as a redshirt sophomore. He was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
As a redshirt freshman at UCLA in 2023, he recorded 40 tackles, including 2.5 for loss for 11 yards, 4 PBUs, 2 QB hurries and 1 INT while appearing in 11 games with 11 starts.
Ramsey redshirted as a true freshman at UCLA in 2022, but appeared in 4 games and collected 6 tackles.
USC has a rich NFL Draft history. USC has the most picks in the common draft era (1967), with 369 (next is Ohio State with 367 and Notre Dame with 326) as of the fifth round of the 2026 draft. USC holds the record for most players selected as the top pick of the NFL Draft (Ron Yary in 1968, O.J. Simpson in 1969, Ricky Bell in 1977, Keyshawn Johnson in 1996, Carson Palmer in 2003 and Caleb Williams in 2024). USC and Oklahoma are the only schools to have the No. 1 pick for 2 consecutive years (Yary and Simpson).
On Thursday (April 23), USC unanimous First Team All-American and 2025 Biletnikoff winner Makai Lemon was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the 20th pick of the first round.
Yesterday, wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane was selected by the Baltimore Ravens as the 16th pick of the third round (80th overall).
The 2025 NFL Draft concludes today (April 25) with the fourth through seventh rounds.
Makai Lemon | USC Football Career Highlights
Wednesday, April 22
Ja'Kobi Lane | USC Football Career Highlights
Wednesday, April 22
Anthony Lucas | USC Football Career Highlights
Wednesday, April 22
Lake McRee | USC Football Career Highlights
Tuesday, April 21
