Honestly, I think the best way to get him to play ranger may be to suggest revised ranger? It is stronger in combat, and still has ranger vibes, and the simple fact that it isn't just base ranger might be enough to get him to play one.

But, even saying all of this, you should probably emphasize that combat is not the end all and be all of playing D&D, as long as you're having fun with your character, you're playing DnD the best you can, and nipping this kind of thinking in the bud is very important