For the second straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars' first-round pick has suffered an injury in May.
Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey suffered a small meniscus tear to his right knee during the second phase of on-field workouts, the team announced Thursday. The No. 5 overall pick will get a second opinion on the injury early next week. If the prognosis is positive, he could be back by the start of training camp.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. who first reported the development, stated on NFL Total Access that the team is hoping to know a recovery timeline for Ramsey by Monday. He added that the Jaguars are optimistic the injury is not serious.
Ramsey, who underwent microfracture surgery on the same knee during his sophomore year of high school, has not signed a rookie contract with the team yet.
It's déjà vu for Jags fans, who saw 2015 first-round pick Dante Fowler Jr. tear an ACL in the team's first rookie practice last May and miss his entire rookie season. The Jaguars scaled back their rookie workouts this year after Fowler's injury, but it's impossible to completely avoid injury risks.
Many draft analysts considered Ramsey the best player in the entire 2016 draft. The 6-foot-1 corner boasts the size and speed to play anywhere in the secondary. Some considered him a safety with the size potential to be a hybrid player.
Ramsey was slotted to start at corner for Jacksonville, creating a solid trio with Davon House and free-agent pickup Prince Amukamara. The extent of Ramsey's injury could shuffle the order to start the season. The hope is the stud rookie will just miss some offseason sessions.
With a potent, young offense and a buffed up, rebuilt defense, Jacksonville is bound to be a trendy pick to leap into the AFC playoff hunt. Ramsey's injury is an early reminder that many components factor into success September through December that can't be predicted in May.
