STRENGTHS
Ross has the athletic talent not seen in many players with his size. He is very powerful off the snap and changes the line of scrimmage on both running or passing downs. He has those long arms that make it very easy to keep big offensive lineman off his body allowing him to steer and manipulate his opponent and disrupt their blocking. Ross handles a double team with the strength in his lower and upper body that most players in the NFL do not possess. Ross has the power to play in a 2cap system against the run and the strength to split offensive lineman in a 1gap system, getting into the backfield and disrupting or making a play. He has good straight-line speed and solid foot quickness but what he brings to the next level is his athleticism to play any defensive line position in any kind of defensive system and impact if called upon to play them all. Ross has the “potential” to be as impacting as J J Watt if he plays outside in a 3/4 defense or as impacting as Fletcher Cox if he plays inside in a 4/3 defense. As far as playing on the nose in a 3/4 defense, he could be as good on passing downs as Aaron Darnold. He has that type of multiple athletic talent and size.
CONCERNS
Ross has only one year of production to evaluate because of an injury (Achilles) that took him a full year to come back from. He lacks the change of direction skills to turn the corner when rushing the passer and will have to learn better hand fighting and pass-rushing techniques to become the power pass rusher his talents suggest he can become, much like J.J. Watt. He will also have to improve his balance and learn to get off blocks faster but the fact that he not only came back from his injury to impact, and lost weight, gaining muscle and strength, shows that Ross did not let his injury “own” him.
BOTTOM LINE 1.37
The fact that Ross came back from his injury and improved his strength and muscle mass sends a signal to me that he is a person with a type-A personality. (Look it up I can’t do everything for you) Ross has only one year of productivity, and that means most teams will downgrade him for fear that he might not live up to his talent at the next level. I’ve looked at him and studied his interviews on the internet and play on film and took notice of his body type before his injury, and then after his injury. Coming back from the Achilles heel injury at his lack of mature age is impressive alone but coming back in better shape and better overall body type is what excites me about his potential for the next level. You look at his talent on film and you see right away he is impacting with room to grow technique-wise. Add that to his impressive mental stamina and goal setting personality and I don’t believe you are taking any more of a chance selected Ross than any other player in this draft, in spite of only one year of production. I believe, when Ross starts to work out and interview for teams they will come to the same conclusions that I have come. That is, a multi-athletic, talented player with a type-A personality, that given some more time to improve his techniques, will become one of the best players from the Draft class. We are talking J.J Watt, Fletcher Cox potential.
