2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Justyn Ross

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Justyn Ross, 6-4/205 Wide Receiver Clemson

Justyn Ross Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Tall receiver

Good length

Gives a size mismatch

Dangerous after the catch

Physical with cornerbacks

Good hands

Can make highlight-reel acrobatic catches

Large catch radius

Red-zone weapon

Showed a killer instinct in 2018 and 2019

Weaknesses:

Serious durability concerns

Neck, head injuries could lead to short career

Speed look reduced in 2021

Missed season of development

Reduced suddenness, explosion

Mistimes jumps

Needs to improve route-running

Rounds off too many cuts

Summary: During the prolific run of head coach Dabo Swinney at Clemson, the Tigers have produced many superb receiver prospects for the next level. Hence, Ross was clearly something special when he could see the field as a freshman in 2018 and become an instant contributor for the Tigers. While Clemson spread the ball out as well that season, Ross made the most of his receptions, totaling 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns on 46 receptions for an average of 21.7 yards per catch in 2018. As a sophomore in 2019, Ross totaled 66 receptions for 865 yards – 13.1 average – and eight touchdowns.

In the spring of 2020, Ross was dealing with symptoms similar to a stinger in his neck. Testing revealed that Ross had a congenital fusion in his spine. A few months later, Ross had surgery, which knocked him out for the 2020 season. There were some questions of whether Ross would ever play football again, but he stated his goal was to come back. Eventually, he was medically cleared, and he returned to the field for the 2021 season. Ross dealt with injuries that limited him once again in 2021, totaling 46 receptions for 514 yards – 11.2 average – and three touchdowns in shortened season. Clemson’s quarterback play struggled without Trevor Lawrence in 2021, but Ross also did not look like the same player he was in 2018 and 2019.

As a freshman and sophomore, Ross showed a rare combination of size and speed that made him a dynamic playmaker. With his excellent height and long frame, Ross offers an immediate size mismatch against cornerbacks. Like former Clemson receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Ross is phenomenal at making contested catches, showing superb hands to make juggling and acrobatic receptions along the sideline. Also like the Arizona Cardinals great, Ross is tough and physical with defensive backs, using his size and strength to get late separation or box them out for the football. With his height, arm length, and leaping ability, Ross presents a huge catch radius for his quarterback.



The big question for Ross in the NFL is speed. Early in his career, he showed the speed to get vertical and run away from defenders, but in 2021, he looked significantly slower. Ross was not as explosive, and his top speed did not let him pull away from defensive backs. Perhaps the injuries were holding him back, but he was not the same big-play threat he had been in 2018-19.

Ross has some things to improve for the NFL. He could stand to sharpen some of his routes and avoid rounding off some cuts. While he is a tremendous receiver to make contested catches, Ross often mistimes his jump and catches the ball on the decline rather than high pointing the ball. Ross got away with it in college because of his height, length and hands, but NFL cornerbacks will be more adept at breaking up some of those receptions. Improving his timing to high point the ball better will make Ross even more dynamic and dangerous.

In the 2022 NFL Draft, Ross looks like a potential mid-round or third-day pick. He could slide into undrafted ranks if enough teams flunk him medically.



Player Comparison: Mike Williams. Ross has a style of play similar to Mike Williams, another former Clemson receiver. If Ross can regain his speed and stay healthy, he might be a steal and turn into a solid pro similar to Williams.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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