Getty Devin Ross
The New England Patriots‘ 90-man roster seems set after the signing of former Colorado standout Devin Ross. He earned an opportunity for a tryout this summer an according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss says the recent look had to have gone well:
WR Devin Ross’ tryout at Patriots mandatory mimicamp went well, and the club is expected to sign him to the 90-man roster.
Notable backstory: Ross previously worked out at @HUBFootball2020 in San Diego, and a Patriots scout was there, which helped spark his official tryout.
The Patriots had the 24-year-old Ross in training camp last summer, but they released him just before Week 1. The team signed Ross to the practice squad where he remained for the first four weeks of the season.
Unfortunately, New England sent him packing again the following month. This was the second time he’d been in camp with the Patriots, but he has yet to stick into the regular season.
5 Things You Should Know About Ross
Ross is a short, quick receiver capable of thriving in the slot, but he’s also athletic enough to make contested catches down the field.
Here are five things you should know about the Patriots’ recent signing.
Height – 5’9″
Ross is far from a big and powerful target. He’s physically similar to last year’s deep threat Damiere Byrd. However, Ross isn’t the same kind of deep threat as Byrd. However, he is shifty and perhaps a better route runner.
Weight – 192
NFL.com lists Ross at 192 pounds. That’s a powerful build and partially explains his ability to outmuscle defenders for some tough catches. It’s also up around 12 pounds from where he was listed in college.
40-Time – 4.52
One of the reasons Ross didn’t get drafted is his 40 time. A 4.52 isn’t considering blazing fast for a WR, and that’s especially the case for a player who is only 5’9. That said, some guys play faster than they time. Perhaps Ross is one of those kinds of guys.
He’s a Huge Kobe Bryant Fan
If you follow Ross on Twitter, you’re sure to see a tribute tweet dedicated to late Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant. Here is one of his recent tweets which was a quoted retweet from the Cleveland Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr.
He Tore it Up in Training Camp for the Patriots in 2020
During last year’s camp, Ross produced some excellent play including what some considered the best of a particular day of minicamp.
Still, Ross didn’t stick.
What Are Ross’ Chances of Making the 53-Man Roster?
As exciting as it is for Ross to have been signed to the 90-man roster, he’s still facing an uphill climb to make the Week 1 group.
Most expect the Patriots to have Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and Jakobi Meyers as roster locks. New England may only keep two or at the most, three others at the position. Disappointing 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry could still be a factor. There’s Gunner Olszewski and exciting second-year player Isaiah Zuber are others to watch.
Ross is more in the group that includes rookie Tre Nixon, Kristian Wilkerson, Devin Smith and Marvin Hall. Ross will need to find a way to stand out above the other younger receivers while hoping to secure a spot on the practice squad at the very least.
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