John Ross became a household name when he ran his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine at a record speed of 4.22. He was already considered a top wide receiver prospect, but his lightning speed helped raise his stock immensely and the Cincinnati Bengals nabbed him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
New Bengal John Ross is more than just the fastest NFL player ever
The fastest player in NFL Combine history has a new home.
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The former Washington Huskies receiver brings more to the table than just straightaway speed. He’s able to quickly switch gears on defenders, and get out of tight spaces with an ease that is only found in video games. He’s not the biggest receiver, but he’s got everything else you could want in a deep threat.
The burner will certainly be welcome as a speed threat to go alongside A.J. Green.
Why did Bengals pick Ross?
It’s hard to pass up on a wide receiver talent like Ross, who has a complete skill set that’s going to translate well at the next level.
He’s the fastest man in NFL Combine history
Ross had speed that would have made the late great Al Davis trade up as soon as the time was displayed on stopwatches in Indianapolis. Ross’s 4.22 time ended up being one of the biggest storylines of the combine, and how could it not?
Chris Johnson had previously set the record back in 2008 with a 4.24. It was thought to be so unbreakable, that Adidas offered a player his own island if he were able to break the record.
He can play with the best defensive backs
Ross is a great player outside of his speed.
He came down with 81 receptions in the 2016 season, along with 1,150 yards. His 17 touchdowns were tied for second in FBS.
Against USC last season, he shook Adoree’ Jackson with a quick ankle breaker for an easy touchdown.
He’s also shifty
It’s one thing to be fast, but it’s another to be able to finesse defenders. He did just that against Cal, avoiding five defenders on his way to the end zone like he was a Madden player:
Those types of moves are what’s going to allow him to have a long NFL career.
Are there any concerns with Ross?
His health — like most players who have ever suffered an injury — raised some concerns with teams. He has injured both knees in college, and had surgery on a torn labrum he suffered late in his senior season. The surgery prevented him from private workouts with teams, but clearly, it wasn’t enough to prevent him from going in the first round.
At the combine, he experienced calf tightness after his stunning 4.22 40-yard dash run, but the injury wasn’t necessarily considered a long-term concern.
He has DeSean Jackson as a mentor
Ross has drawn comparisons to Jackson because of their similar size and lightning-fast speed, but Jackson actually helped turn Ross into a top wide receiver talent.
After Ross’ knee surgery, which robbed him of his sophomore season, he received a phone call from Jackson, where he invited Ross to train with him.
“You’re fast, but you don’t have to use all of your speed every single time,” Ross said via MMQB of Jackson’s advice. “Use your speed as a weapon, slow down sometimes. Focus on technique, and that’s how you’ll beat your guy.”
He’s going to now take that advice, while utilizing his many skills on Sundays that will surely frustrate NFL defensive backs.
How Ross fits with the Bengals
Ross could change the Bengals’ offense in multiple ways. With A.J. Green already entrenched as the No. 1 receiver, Ross can take away defensive attention from Green and be a lid-lifting threat for Andy Dalton.
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