Ramesh aims to be latest in line of Badgers fullbacks to make NFL
Don't tell Austin Ramesh his chances of making the NFL are diminished because he's a fullback. The former Wisconsin Badger prefers a glass half-full approach.
Yes, not every team in the league uses a fullback these days, but it might be more than you think. In 2017, 22 of 30 had a fullback on the roster. And there's more on the way.
"This year I know some teams are going from not using a fullback to using a fullback," Ramesh said.
Two of those likely teams are Arizona and Detroit -- not-so-coincidentally both of which have new head coaches -- which worked Ramesh out in Madison.
Ramesh also had visits to Green Bay and Oakland, both teams which have used fullbacks over the years. He also spoke with a number of teams at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl; Ramesh couldn't recall an exact list, but presumably the other six teams which didn't use a fullback last year weren't among them.
"It's obviously a tough position to go play in the league … There's not a huge majority in the NFL, but conversely I think it sort of helps me because there's not a lot of fullbacks in college football (so) there's not a lot of fullbacks for those teams," Ramesh said. "You can look at it from either side. But there's teams that definitely need fullbacks."
With the proliferation of college teams going with more pass-oriented offenses, such as the use of the spread, there's a smaller pool of fullbacks for NFL teams to choose from. Wisconsin, of course, has continually used a fullback over the years. Ramesh hopes to follow the path of three recent Badgers starters at that position.
Over the past decade, three Wisconsin fullbacks have played in the NFL -- Chris Pressley, Bradie Ewing and Derek Watt.
Pressley was undrafted but played five years in the league starting in 2009. Ewing (fifth round, 2012) and Watt (sixth round, 2016) were both drafted. The trio also represents the way the position has evolved.
At 5-foot-11, 260 pounds, Pressley was a battering ram whose primary job was to block. Pressley had just 25 carries and one reception in four years at Wisconsin and two rushes and six catches in the 43 NFL games.
Ewing, 5-11, 243, didn't touch the ball much at Wisconsin until his senior year, when he had 20 receptions -- but no carries. Ewing had only seven rushes, four of which came as a freshman, and eight catches in his first three seasons.
Then there's Watt, who symbolizes the current-day fullback -- standing 6-2 but weighing only 234 pounds with good hands and who can run the ball when needed. With the Badgers, Watt had 13 carries and 30 receptions over four seasons. In two years with the Chargers, he has eight rushes and six catches.
Ramesh just might be the best of the bunch, representing a mix of his three Wisconsin predecessors. At 6-1, 250, he has both the size to be a good blocker and pass target. A former high school running back, Ramesh also can carry the ball when needed. In his two years as Wisconsin's starting fullback, he had more touches than Watt did in his four years -- 47 (34 carries, 13 receptions) -- and nearly as many touchdowns (6) than the other three combined (7).
He also has had the added bonus of gleaning information on how to be a better fullback from Ewing, when the latter returned to Wisconsin to help as a strength coach as well as work with the fullbacks. He's also talked with Watt -- the pair were tight during their time together at Wisconsin -- on what it takes to make the NFL.
"Anybody you talk to, you want to make yourself to get available on the field as you can," Ramesh said. "You're a lot more likely to get picked up by a team if you can do all those things rather than just go out and block. Everything I've heard about the next level is that special teams is a huge part of it, too, so kind of just being all-around as good as you can, do anything you can to get on the field."
As Ramesh points out, he isn't the only all-purpose fullback in the draft. He might be the most athletic, though, and the only one who has hurdled a defender, like he did in the Orange Bowl, leaping over Miami 6-1 cornerback Dee Delaney.
"There's a couple of other fullbacks in the draft, really good players," he said. "I think I have pretty good size. I think I'm quicker than I am fast, obviously. I'm very confident in my hands and running ability. Blocking is what I pride myself on. I can work on getting a lot better at that, too. Personally, I think I'll be able to go in there and work hard and putting everything I have out there. Nobody in the draft right now is an NFL player yet. You have to go develop that into one of those."
With the draft around the corner, Ramesh admits the process has been a bit "overwhelming," with the constant training, appearing at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl ("Scouts keep you up pretty late at those things at night," he joked) then the pressure having to perform at Pro Day after not being invited to the combine, which was a surprise to some pundits, and the workouts and visits with NFL teams.
Now might be the hardest part -- waiting for the draft, and particularly the final day, the final few rounds, when fullbacks typically are selected. He'll spend the day with family, perhaps with his grandparents, both sets of whom live within a mile of his hometown of Land O'Lakes, anxiously awaiting a call. But, of course, he has no idea if he'll even be selected.
"I'm hopeful to go in the third day of the draft … you never know with the draft," Ramesh said. "Different teams have told me different things. Hopefully I'll get drafted, I'll get picked up by a team and have a shot, at least. More important is what you do when you get there. Compete and make a job for yourself."
Part of his process in talking to teams has been selling himself. He's done all he can do on film and testing -- he thought he did well for the most part at Pro Day -- and even his off-the-field resume is solid. Ramesh graduated with a degree in rehabilitation psychology and often worked with those with disabilities and special needs.
Ramesh has thought about what he wants to do post-football life, perhaps go into physical therapy or go to graduate school, but that's all on the backburner for a while. His focus for now is the NFL and competing for a spot on a roster, no matter what happens in the draft.
"It's just which teams wants to pull the trigger on a fullback in the draft or after with free agency," he said. "I'm hopeful to get picked up by a good franchise and see what happens."
Dave Heller is the author of Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow (a Larry Ritter Book Award nominee), Facing Ted Williams - Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
