Is John Ross a potentially good fit for the Buccaneers?
More from The Pewter Plank
- Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
- ESPN predicts surprising outcome to Devin White trade saga
- Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
- Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
- The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023
It may be only January, but the Buccaneers, along with all other teams but two, have begun preparations for the NFL draft. Teams are already looking at film, evaluating numbers, looking into character, and doing everything else to determine who might be the best fit for their teams.
The Bucs are no different, and we know they have holes to fill. Jason Licht and his staff have work to do.
All of you football fanatics know that draft preparation time means mock drafts. They will come from all over the map. Almost every expert you will ever read, including some on this website, will be publishing and editing mock drafts. I’ve said it in previous posts, the great thing about this time of year is the speculation. We all get to have our say.
We are also going to analyze the opinions of others, and see if we agree with their thoughts on the Bucs. That starts right here today. Chad Reuter, draft analyst for NFL.com, released his first mock draft of the season. For the Bucs at number 19, he selected John Ross, wide receiver from the Washington Huskies. Here are his thoughts:
"Jameis Winston will like having a speed demon to throw to when Mike Evans is bracketed."
Let’s take a look at this young man.
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2013 | Washington | Pac-12 | FR | WR | 13 | 16 | 208 | 13.0 | 1 | 6 | 39 | 6.5 | 0 | 22 | 247 | 11.2 | 1 |
| *2014 | Washington | Pac-12 | SO | WR | 13 | 17 | 371 | 21.8 | 4 | 6 | 54 | 9.0 | 1 | 23 | 425 | 18.5 | 5 |
| *2015 | Washington | Pac-12 | JR | WR | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2016 | Washington | Pac-12 | JR | WR | 14 | 81 | 1150 | 14.2 | 17 | 8 | 102 | 12.8 | 1 | 89 | 1252 | 14.1 | 18 |
| Career | Washington | 114 | 1729 | 15.2 | 22 | 20 | 195 | 9.8 | 2 | 134 | 1924 | 14.4 | 24 |
Though he missed 2015 due to a knee injury, his breakout year of 2016 proved to the world that he is healthy. He also is explosive in the return game, with four kick returns for scores during his college career.
Let’s go to the video tape:
There is a lot to like about Ross. He clearly is a good route runner. He can leave a guy in the dust with one move, and seems to do it with ease. I like that he understands how to move with his quarterback when he is in trouble. He also blocks for the running game, or at least puts in the effort. The Bucs will always be a running team at their core, and they need everyone to commit. Ross would commit.
He’s a little small, standing at 5’11”. He does make up for it with speed, but he won’t be a big red zone target with that stature. He will be lost in a sea of arms. His catching fundamentals are also inconsistent. Sometimes he catches the football beautifully with his hands, sometimes it goes into his body. He will drop a lot of passes with it coming into his body.
Next: Draft Profile: Forrest Lamp
The Bucs need wide receiver help pretty desperately. This guy doesn’t seem to be correct one. He’s too small, and I worry about his ability to consistently catch the ball at the next level.
What do you think? Am I wrong? Sound off in the comments…