2017 NFL Draft: Washington John Ross Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
Washington’s John Ross is a speedy receiver who is making an equally quick rise up draft boards.
John Ross is a dynamic playmaker who uses his elite speed to stretch the field. He’s a smooth athlete capable of getting up to full speed in a hurry. It’s this game-breaking speed that has gained the eye of draft evaluators.
Ross does most of his damage by outpacing the defensive backfield. He has easy speed which allows him to create a ton of separation. His ability to track the football helps him run underneath those deep balls without breaking stride.
Defenses are more than aware of his ability to make plays down the field and tend to roll coverage towards him. However, Ross is still able to beat the angles and get open.
Washington asks Ross to also run a lot of crossing routes in an attempt to quickly get the ball in his hands. He’s an elusive runner who shows the ability to pick up yards after the catch. While he’s not an elite route runner, Ross does a good job masking his routes with deception.
He needs to show more aggressiveness when it comes to jump ball situations. Ross rarely looks to highpoint the ball preferring to run underneath. This will put a limit on how effective he is at the next level. NFL cornerbacks possess a ton of speed and are not as easily beat as college defenders.
It’s important to note that Ross does have average size with the long arms needed to win in jump-ball situations.
Ross also needs to work on running cleaner routes. There are times on sideline routes where he loses focus and barely gets one foot in bounds.
The biggest thing to note is that Ross is still developing as a player but features that elite speed the NFL covets. He does need to work on his ability to make plays in contested situations, but does show strong hands overall.
Current Draft Status: Late 1st Round