2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: LB Josh Ross, Michigan

The Giants will more than likely look to add depth at inside linebacker this off-season, and Michigan's Josh Ross might be worth taking a flyer on.

Josh Ross, LB

Height: 6’1
Weight: 230 lbs.
Class: Senior
School: Michigan

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Ross is a former four-star recruit out of West Bloomfield, Michigan, where he attended St. Mary’s High School. Ross was the third-ranked recruit in the 2017 cycle in the state of Michigan and the ninth-ranked inside linebacker. Ross has natural leadership qualities and was voted team captain by his teammates in his junior and senior seasons.

Notables

The fifth-year senior is a hardworking individual who manned the middle of a talented defense. He earned third-team All-Big Ten in 2021 and was honorable mention 2018 - the same year he won the Team Blue Collar Award. Ross had a foot injury scare against Rutgers in 2021 but returned healthy for the rest of the season.

Ross hit the ground running in Ann Arbour. He was an automatic contributor as a true freshman in 2017 on special teams. He had an excellent 2018 sophomore year with14 pressures, 36 solo tackles, and 24 STOPS in a situational role, playing 413 snaps.

His 2019 was injury plagued, and his 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19, but he exercised his fifth year of eligibility and returned to the Wolverines in 2021. He played a career-high 779 snaps with 16 pressures, 71 solo tackles, and 38 STOPS in his last year on campus.

View all of Nick Falato's draft prospect profiles right here / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Strengths

• Heralded for being a leader
• Smart player, is rarely fooled by a blocking scheme
• Very good key & diagnose ability
• Read and helped to blow up several screen passes
• Solid overall run defender in the box
• Does a good job bench pressing climbing OL
• Positions himself well in his responsibility, and does so quickly
• Stays square to his target when filling off lateral movement in the box
• Is a solid downhill tackler when moving linearly
• Does a solid job working through trash and locating target between the numbers
• Has enough pop on contact (isn’t bruising hitter)
• Quickly gains depth in his zone drops
• Has solid overall awareness in zone coverage
• Does well on the blitz working down hill
• Awareness to avoid contact while blitzing and moving forward
• Very tough player with great hustle
• Active on special teams

Weaknesses

• A bit dubious about his size - seems small on the field
• Wish he was longer for better tackle radius/zone coverage ability
• Doesn’t have sideline to sideline speed
• Change of direction and agility is adequate at best
• Wish he was better moving laterally
• Doesn’t have the best movement skills in space
• Marginal flexibility to pivot, turn, or change direction
• Missed 15 tackles in 2021 (a 13.6% miss rate)
• Athletic deficiencies lead to susceptibility against more agile players in space
• Not great in man coverage situations
• Is aware in zone, but not overly quick to close throwing windows
• Not very versatile
• A two-down box linebacker who may not be ideal for sub-packages

Summary

Overall, Josh Ross is a well-respected smart linebacker with good box awareness. He does a good job working downhill, avoiding contact, and keeping himself clean to his responsibility in the run game. 

He’s not overly athletic or big for the NFL, and these deficiencies may hinder his overall ability to play on defense. Ross’ best chance at earning playing time will come from special teams. He’s likely a late draft selection, or possibly a UDFA.

GRADE: 5.7

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