Why John Ross may project better to the NFL than any WR in his class

This isn't a golden rule, but most of the time, if you want to stand out in the NFL as an elite level WR, you need to fit one of two categories:

1. A big, physical freak of nature who can impose his will on DBs, but still has enough speed to get separation whenever he needs.

2. A blazing fast target with good hands, who is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball.

Of the 3 "big names" talked about for the Eagles at pick 14, the only one who fits either category is John Ross. Mike Williams is big and physical, but lacks the speed to get consistent separation, causing concern that he will only be a possession WR in the NFL. Corey Davis is no shrimp. He's a big WR who is "sneaky fast" and he gets YAC, but he isn't what I'd call a "freak" physically or in the speed category.

John Ross is the only one who fits the bill. He showed incredible vertical speed and big play ability in college, and was a home run threat every time he touched the ball. He backed this up at the Combine by running a record 4.22 40 time. He is the type of WR who will scare defensive coordinators, take safeties away from the middle of the field, and open up space for your running game and QB.

Having blazing speed doesn't guarantee you to be successful in the NFL. You saw this with Darrius Heyward-Bey, who has been a bust out of Maryland. Will Fuller(Philadelphia's own), another speedster, out of Notre Dame was drafted in the 1st round by the Houston Texans, and struggled as a rookie. That's not saying he can't turn into something special, but his drop issues carried over to the NFL, as he struggled with securing routine passes, much like he did in college. This is why I put the specific criteria of having "good hands" into my two categories. Typically, two things prevent athletes with that kind of speed from making it in the NFL: their hands or their brains. Minimizing drops and route running need to be done well to make that speed worthwhile, and John Ross excels at both.

Ross has been praised by draft pundits for his solid hands and route running, and I see no reason why that shouldn't carry over to the NFL. Combine that with speed, and he has all the makings of a very successful WR in the NFL, who has a floor of a long-term vertical threat, and a ceiling of a perennial Pro Bowler. Players like Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks, Mike Wallace, DeSean Jackson are all WRs with similar traits in college, who came right into the NFL and had immediate success. Not to take anything away from Corey Davis or Mike Williams. I'm quite high on both, and I currently have Corey Davis #1 in my WR rankings, mainly due to John Ross' injury questions. However, looking at how skills typically translate to he NFL, and looking at the history of WRs with athletic abilities similar to Ross, I'd say he is a good bet to be a dynamic playmaker at the NFL level, provided he can stay healthy.

At pick 14, he is worth strong consideration if I'm Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas. He could provide big plays at the Linc for many years, and give Carson Wentz a young playmaker to go with, who will be perfect playing opposite of Alshon Jeffery.