USC Trojans Safety Kamari Ramsey Forgoes NFL Draft, Will Return To USC

USC Trojans redshirt sophomore safety Kamari Ramsey has elected to forgo the NFL draft and return to the school in 2025. He is the second Trojans player this week to forgo the draft. Ramsey will now have the opportunity to play with his godbrother, DJ Harvey.

USC Trojans redshirt sophomore safety Kamari Ramsey / Instagram / @_kamari3 / @_kamari3

USC Trojans redshirt sophomore Kamari Ramsey has elected to forgo the 2025 NFL Draft and return to school for another season, he announced on social media, Thursday. Ramsey is the second Trojans player this week to forgo the draft, joining guard Emmanuel Pregnon. 

“As a local kid, it’s been an honor to represent my city by playing at USC,” Ramsey wrote.

“USC is a special place, and I’ve loved being a part of the Trojans family. After much prayer and discussion, I’ve decided that there’s more I want to accomplish with my teammates. I’m excited to run out of the Coliseum tunnel again next season wearing the Cardinal and Gold.”

God’s Plan! @uscfb pic.twitter.com/NUiSNm74X3

— Kamari_Ramsey (@Ramsey3K) December 19, 2024

Ramsey will have the opportunity to play with his former Sierra Canyon (CA) teammate and godbrother, former San Jose State cornerback DJ Harvey, who committed to USC on Dec. 14. 

Ramsey followed defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn from UCLA to USC after the 2023 season. The Southern California native was immediate impact player for the Trojans, registering 53 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss (two sacks), five passed defended and two forced fumbles in 10 games this season. 

Lynn raved about Ramsey ahead of the Trojans matchup against the Bruins last month and credits him for helping install the defense in the spring and get everything rolling for they became a much-improved defense this season. 

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“It meant a lot when he decided to come here, it meant a ton to me especially, just having him here I felt like jumpstart this entire thing,” Lynn said in November. “Just everything that we were able to get accomplished in the spring really helped jumpstart camp and that helped jumpstart everything that we’re doing now and we were just further ahead with him because of his experience and then it’s been cool just to see him being able to grow now year two in the scheme."

“He’s a natural football player as far as the way he thinks,” He just has a really high IQ, he picks things up well. He doesn’t have to get reps on the field, he could take it from the meeting room and then go out there and just do it and there’s not a lot of guys that have that skill,” Lynn said. 

With cornerbacks Jaylin Smith, Jacobe Covington and Greedy Vance, and safety Akili Arnold out of eligibility, Ramsey will be the only starting defensive back returning for the Trojans in 2025. Backup safety Zion Branch jumped in the portal on Tuesday with his younger brother, Zachariah and Bryson Shaw is also out of eligibility.

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