ITH 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: UGA CB Kelee Ringo

Kelee Ringo has been a staple in the Georgia secondary for the last few seasons. As a Redshirt Sophomore, Ringo solidified himself on one of the top defenses in the nation. At 6’2 215, Ringo is a big corner with elite speed. Majority of teams could utilize Ringo as he is a good man-to-man corner that will hold his own. 

Player Information:

Name: Kelee Ringo

School: UGA

Position: Cornerback

Jersey #: 5

Alignment/Scheme: Outside Corner

Games Watched: Vs Bama (2021), vs Tennessee, vs Florida, vs Georgia Tech

Major Factors: # Notes:

Grading Scale:       9 - Special  8 - All-Pro  7.5 - Pro Bowler  7 - Good Starter  6.5 - Avg. Starter  6 - Good Backup  5.5 - Role Player  5 - Developmental

Athletic Ability: 9 Kelee Ringo is easily one of the most athletic players in the country. With the combination of size and speed, he is a unicorn at the corner position physically. In high school, Ringo played primarily Running Back. As a playmaker, he is up there with the best. He was a state champion in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.43

Strength & Explosion: 8 At the point of contact, Ringo is able to make ball carriers feel his presence at 6’2 215. While he is not a devastating tackler, he typically does not miss many 1 on 1 tackles. With his size, he does not struggle getting off blocks. 

Ringo is fast, but not extremely twitchy. He often struggled with smaller ball carriers in open space and would wait for them to make a move.  

Competes: 9 Ringo is a competitor, but he does not exude the alpha mentality that some would like. This trait would be evident in players like Jalen Ramsey or Jaire Alexander. 

Production: 8 Ringo was productive in his 2 years as a starter, with big plays in multiple championship games. On a Georgia team that relied heavily on their amazing front, Ringo was often assisted with the lack of targets his way in 2022. Over his two seasons, Ringo brought in 76 tackles, 15 Pass Deflections, and 4 interceptions. 

Mental/Learning: 7 What Ringo lacks in technique, he will have to work on this offseason. He often gets leveraged because of bad eyes. However, he was a young leader for the UGA team and he fits perfectly in the Georgia defensive scheme. 

Injury History: 5 Recovered from surgery on a torn labrum in 2021. 

Player Summary:

Report: UGA cornerback Kelee Ringo has been a household name in CFB for the last two seasons. With UGA going back to back in the Championship, Ringo has had his name buzzing more than ever. 

His strengths include his ability to run with absolutely anyone on the field. Ringo has incredible speed for the position. His background in track confirms this. He is a larger corner that is capable of covering up a receiver at the line of scrimmage. Large receivers struggle against Ringo because of his size and speed. Ringo is not a great tackler, but he gets ball carriers down when he gets his hands on them.

Ringo’s weaknesses include playing with good eyes. Ringo typically will miss the ball when in the air because he allows separation at the top of routes. I believe that Ringo often relied on pure athleticism similar to former LSU cornerback, Derek Stingley, and not heavy on technique. However, Ringo does not have the same quick twitch and anticipation as Stingley. 

Pro Comparison: Xavien Howard

Round/Grade: Late 1st Round 

ITH Writer/COO

-By: LeMarkus Bailey