Philadelphia Eagles: Fred Ross may be a mid-to-late round prospect
Mississippi State receiver Fred Ross won’t dazzle you with his 40 time, but he could be an ideal late-round selection.
Philadelphia Eagles fans are very familiar with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. While he was a member of the Texas A&M Aggies, he helped showcase how good his receiver Fred Ross could be. In 2015, Ross set a school record with 1,007 receiving yards with Prescott under center. He also scored five touchdowns and reeled in 88 receptions.
Rather than going pro at that time, he stayed for his final year. In 2016, Ross saw a dip in both his receptions (72) and his yardage (917), but the receiver scored more total touchdowns (12) than he did in his prior three seasons (10 over three years). At 6’2, Ross could provide a boost to Philly’s underachieving receiving corps.
Ross, versatility would aid Eagles
Before the 2016 season, Ross was selected as a Second-Team All-SEC by SECSports.com. While the country was enamored by the talented Calvin Ridley, Ross drew warranted attention. Projected to go in the latter end of the NFL draft, Ross has experience on the outside and the slot. Ross’ biggest asset is his raw talent. He’s got soft hands. This strength, also occasionally became a weakness. You could argue he wasn’t completely engrossed in every game and may have relied on natural ability more than he should.
Ross was the only member of the Bulldogs to receive a postseason award in 2016. Ross was named All-SEC second team by the conference after setting school records for career receptions, yards, and 100-yard games. The future could be promising for Ross in the NFL, but he’ll need to focus on honing his abilities as a receiver. There’s also a good chance Ross falls to the latter part of the draft, which could be a prime opportunity for teams needing a receiver.
One of the Eagles’ weakest position groups on the roster is at receiver. Philadelphia only has one proven player at that position, Jordan Matthews. Nelson Agholor hasn’t been promising, and although Dorial Green-Beckham has all of the talent in the world, but he hasn’t seized the opportunity. The Eagles want to add talent. Drafting Fred Ross could potentially bode well for Carson Wentz and the offense. You can’t overlook 12 touchdowns in 2016.