Positives:
Playing behind Nathan Vasher and Tarrell Brown at Texas, Ross started sparingly as a cornerback for the Longhorns until his senior season. But once he got out of the shadows of his former teammates, he excelled at the position, earning All-American and All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors. He was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and picked up the prestigious Thorpe Award, which is given annually to the nation's top defensive back.
Playing behind Nathan Vasher and Tarrell Brown at Texas, Ross started sparingly as a cornerback for the Longhorns until his senior season. But once he got out of the shadows of his former teammates, he excelled at the position, earning All-American and All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors. He was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and picked up the prestigious Thorpe Award, which is given annually to the nation's top defensive back.
When I look at Ross, I see a guy who could really excel as a Cover-2 corner. And that's not to say he couldn't be solid in any system, but he is a better fit for a team that plays a lot of zone defense. He has good size and strength, along with good hands and solid ball skills.
Ross provides another dimension as well with his explosiveness in the return game. He's one of those guys who, although he lacks great top end speed, has a second gear that allows him to explode through holes in coverage.
Negatives:
As I eluded to before, man-to-man coverage is not Ross' strongest area. He has problems with his footwork at times, and isn't real fluid turning and breaking out of his backpedal. And while he plays the run solid, he lacks aggression at times. With his size and strength, I'd like to see him attacking upfield more and delivering more big hits.
Overview: As I eluded to before, man-to-man coverage is not Ross' strongest area. He has problems with his footwork at times, and isn't real fluid turning and breaking out of his backpedal. And while he plays the run solid, he lacks aggression at times. With his size and strength, I'd like to see him attacking upfield more and delivering more big hits.
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