Justyn Ross Scouting Report: 2022 NFL Draft Profile

Justyn Ross Clemson WR #8

Measurements

6’4” / 205 lbs.

40 Time: 4.5 (Estimate)

Justyn Ross Player Profile

Coming out of high school, Justyn Ross was the number one prospect out of the state of Alabama. Ross was a four-year varsity player for Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama. According to MaxPreps, during his time at Central, he was able to rack up a total of 1,120 yards and 8 touchdowns. This may not seem that impressive for a four-star recruit, but he only played a total of 20 games. So, when you break it down game by game, Ross averaged 56 yards per game his entire career. 

Although these stats aren’t mind blowing, he was able to get recognized by many power five schools such as Clemson, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and many more. According to 247sports, Ross had a total of 21 division I offers when it came time for him to commit. Many people found it surprising that Ross chose to go to Clemson over Alabama. I did not find this to be very surprising because this was when Trevor Lawrence was an established freshman. Also, Clemson has a fantastic history of producing amazing wide receiver talent. 

While at Clemson, Ross has been one of the most effective wide receivers in the history of the program. As of right now, Ross ranks in the top 10 for receiving touchdowns in a single season and in his career. Considering the wide receivers that have gone through the program in the last 10 years, this is very impressive. 

Justyn Ross Strengths 

Playmaking Ability

If I could only use one word to describe Ross’ game, I would use “Playmaker”. His ability to make a play out of nothing is incredible. There were numerous instances in his film where he turned a short gain into a first down or more. Not only is he good at keeping the play alive, he is also dangerous in the open field. If Ross is hit in stride, and he has some green grass in front of him, expect a big gain. A lot of the time when I watch film on receivers, I see them hesitate in the open field and play more reactive. This is the opposite of what Ross does. Ross does a great job of taking advantage of the empty field in front of him before the defense swarms. When the defense does attack him, the play is far from over. Ross has the ability to shed every tackle and take it home for a touchdown. 

Field Awareness

Ross’ field awareness is already NFL caliber. He always knows exactly where he is at on the field when running a route. The route I love seeing him run the most are corner routes in the endzone. When he catches the ball, he knows exactly how close he is to going out of bounds. This allows him to get a foot or two down to put 6 points on the board for the Tigers. If Ross continues to improve this, he will be a nightmare for defenses in the NFL. 

Strong Hands

When you are one of the most productive receivers in the history of Clemson football, you have to have good hands. Not only does he have good hands, I’m starting to think that he puts super glue on his gloves. Not only does Ross rarely drop the ball with two hands, he rarely drops the ball with one hand. This is something you see more in the NFL, not in college. With that being said, his hands haven’t been as impressive this year as they were in 2019. But, if Ross is drafted to a team that already has a top wide receiver in the NFL, he will be able to fine tune this.  

Deep Threat

Ross is one of the deadliest deep threats in college football. Not only that, he is one of the best vertical threats in Clemson football history. When watching his film from his 2019 season, I kept getting blown away with what he is able to do deep down the field. Ross’ route running is what allows him to make those plays. He does a fantastic job of shaking the defender off the snap. Once that step is completed, he uses his insane straight-line speed to leave the defense in the dust. 

Justyn Ross Weaknesses

Relies on Effective QB

There are many factors as to why Ross has not been very productive this season. You could argue that the surgery that he had prior to last season is the main contributor. I personally think that the biggest contributor is D.J. Uiagalelei’s lack of production. According to ESPN, D.J. has a completion percentage of 56.2%. This is a little bit of a downgrade from Trevor Lawrence when they were a dangerous duo in 2019. If Ross is drafted by a team that has an established quarterback, he will be very effective. 

Injury History

Ross missed the 2020 season due to him needing to have back surgery. This surgery had to be done to repair a bulging disk in his spine. This is unfortunate for Ross, because he had a very productive sophomore season and he kept getting better. After being sidelined after this injury, we have seen his production go down. I’m not 100% sure that the surgery has led to that, but it is still something to look out for. 

Justyn Ross Draft Stock

Ross’ stock has fallen drastically from his last season played to this season. Going into this year, I was confident that Ross would be the third receiver off the board. I had him getting drafted after Ohio State’s dynamic duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. After seeing his lack of production so far this season, I think that he is more of a 3rd to 4th round talent. With that being said, I think he could be taken higher than that because teams have seen his potential. I could see the Packers taking him in the 2nd to 4th round. Ross would be able to fill that number two receiver role that they have been missing.

Final Thoughts

Ross has the potential to be great in the NFL. It is unfortunate that the surgery set him back a little bit. With that being said, he is one of the nominees for Comeback Player of the Year. This shows you how good of a receiver he is. Although his production has gone downhill, he is in contention for an award. 

Justyn Ross NFL Player Comparison

Tee Higgins, but with a smaller frame. 

Justyn Ross Scouting Report by Matthew Lewis