Another layer was added to the USC-Houston connection on Saturday morning.
The Houston Texans selected Trojans safety Kamari Ramsey with the first pick of the fifth round (No. 141 overall) in the NFL Draft, making him the sixth USC product on the roster. It’s also the third straight year the Texans have taken a Trojan defensive back.
“They’re all our type of guys,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said of this year’s draft class. “They’re football first guys. High character guys, guys who just love playing football. Big smiles, big energy guys, you just know they’re gonna fit right into our locker room.”
The five Trojans who were on the roster prior to drafting Ramsey are safety Calen Bullock, defensive end Solomon Byrd, tackle Jarrett Kingston, running back Woody Marks, and cornerback Jaylin Smith.
Ramsey and Smith are both from Palmdale and played youth football together growing up.
The 21-year-old, who declared for the draft after his redshirt junior year, is regarded for his physicality as well as versatility, which allowed him to fairly easily move to nickelback for the 2025 season. He finished this season with 18 solo tackles (9 assisted) and two pass breakups, but his 2024 season was statistically better with 43 tackles (17 assisted), one interception and five pass breakups.
His first two college seasons were played at UCLA before he followed defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to USC ahead of the 2024 season.
Ramsey is also Sierra Canyon School’s first player to be drafted to the NFL.
“We knew from the moment he got here that he was going to be special,” Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse said prior to the 2025 college season. “I thought he was an NFL-level talent and, so far, he’s proven me right.”
The Texans’ OTA offseason workouts will take place from May 27 to June 4, then mandatory minicamp will be June 9 to June 11.
“We see the guys on the field, and that’s an exciting time to see guys actually out working with coaches,” Ryans told reporters. “As coaches, we get really fired up about that first watch, that first opportunity to get the guys in a Texans uniform to get them on the grass.”
Ramsey was the third Trojan to be picked in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is being held in Pittsburgh, Pa. Receiver Makai Lemon was picked 20th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles on the first day of the draft, and the Baltimore Ravens chose receiver Ja’Kobi Lane with the 16th pick of the third round (No. 80 overall).
USC has 536 all-time draftees at the conclusion of the final round. Notable Trojans who went undrafted but signed contracts wth NFL teams include safety Bishop Fitzgerald, tight end Lake McRee (Pittsburgh), defensive tackle Keeshawn Silver (New Orleans), cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson (Cleveland) and linebacker Eric Gentry (Cincinnati).