20/20: John Ross
Welcome to the 20/20 series. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine, we’ll be profiling 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2017 by giving you 20 facts you must know.
1.) Player Name – John Ross
2.) College – Washington
3.) Height/Weight – 5’11″, 190 lbs
4.) Birth date – 11/27/94 (22)
5.) Class – Junior
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6.) College stats – 2014: 17 catches, 371 yards, and four touchdowns; 2016: 81 catches, 1150 yards, and 17 touchdowns
7.) NFL Draft round projection – Late first round or very early second. Once Mike Williams and Corey Davis are gone, it will be a toss-up between Ross and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
8.) Current NFL comp – There are three players that jump out. DeSean Jackson, Brandin Cooks, and Will Fuller. I believe he is more Cooks than Fuller or Jackson. Even though all four are speed demons, and look identical in uniform, Ross’ height and weight mostly resemble Cooks.
9.) Best possible destination – Dallas Cowboys would be the best landing spot. With Ross in Dallas, it would adda solid second receiver and another dimension to their offense. The Cowboys were below average with Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley. It will also open the field for Dak Prescott and Dez Bryant as he will take the top off the defense. Ross will benefit learning from Bryant, and the stud receiver will take pressure away from the rookie.
10.) Worst possible destination – The Indianapolis Colts would be the worst landing spot in the first round, and the San Francisco 49ers would be in the second. The Colts already have a crowded field of wide receivers, and even though it would be good to see him team up with Andrew Luck, I just don’t see him seeing the field much if at all his rookie season unless he can beat out two or three receivers. With the 49ers, they will probably have a new or rookie quarterback, and there isn’t anyone to guide him or teach him the ropes.
11.) Best current skill – Speed. He is lightning fast (4.25 forty yard dash), and once Ross is in the open field, good luck catching him.
12.) A skill that needs to be improved – Fighting off jams at the line of scrimmage. Ross is a light weight and doesn’t have much height. His body dimensions will lead to being matched up with cornerbacks that prevent him from using his speed.
13.) Past/current rookie ADP – He’s 10th overall (WR4) in DLF rankings. The top four wide receivers (Corey Davis, Mike Williams, JuJu Smith-Schuster and John Ross) are all grouped together inside the top ten, but that will change depending on draft position and situation.
14.) Projected dynasty value – This may be one of the weaker draft classes at wide receiver, and Ross is a specialty player. My opinion is that he will end up averaging 55-65 receptions, 1000-1,100 yards, and 5-6 touchdowns a season. In leagues counting for returns, he will give you a nice bonus.
15.) Run like the wind – In the movie Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks says, “I could run like the wind blows.” In that sentence, he could also be talking about John Ross. Just in his first steps, Ross shows the explosion, then transfers into second gear. His feet are extremely quick.
16.) What else have you got? – Ross can easily get separation on defenders that can’t bottle him up at the line of scrimmage, and he is very sudden in his movements. He can adjust to the ball which was very helpful for Jake Browning as a quarterback. His route running is superb and has excellent vision to go with great balance. He can take the top off defenses and is a threat to score at any moment. He’s reliable and pro-ready.
17.) Youth – He is only 22 years old, which means he could have a shelf life of 12 or more years.
18.) 50/50 – John Ross will struggle to win 50/50 balls. I am intrigued how he will do in the vertical at the combine and perhaps pro day. He has an unofficial mark at 38” meaning he is about four inches more than average and three less than top performers.
19.) Oh, that too – Ross can play on special teams as a kick returner. At Washington, he had four touchdowns on kickoffs. He returned punts as well.
20.) Around the web – Rob Rang says John Ross has “electric elusiveness and acceleration to make an immediate impact as a receiver and returner, alike.” Daniel Jeremiah states: “Very efficient and explosive at the top of his route. He tracks the ball naturally and has strong hands.” A West Coast scout for an NFC team stated “He’s competitive and shows it. You’ll take some attitude when a guy scores as many touchdowns as he does.” Routes, hands, and speed are in his makeup, but does he have the body size to make himself productive at the NFL level, we shall see.
John Ross Measurables:
40 Yard Dash Time: 4.25 seconds (unofficial)
Three Cone Drill Time: 6.71 seconds (unofficial)
Vertical Jump: 38″ (unofficial)
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