Championship-winning coach makes bold statement regarding Chiefs rookie
KANSAS CITY – The Chiefs are one of the best NFL franchises at finding and developing talent. The best part is they're pretty good at doing so through both the draft and free agency. Some of the most recent and notable names can be found as recently as last year. Trey Smith, the starting right […]
KANSAS CITY – The Chiefs are one of the best NFL franchises at finding and developing talent. The best part is they're pretty good at doing so through both the draft and free agency.
Some of the most recent and notable names can be found as recently as last year. Trey Smith, the starting right guard, was found in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft. Smith had a Pro Football Focus grade of 72.3 overall, which is very good for a sixth-round rookie.
Another example would be Emmitt Thomas. A lot of people may not know who that is, but he is one of the greatest Chiefs cornerbacks, ever. Thomas was undrafted in 1966, and the Chiefs signed him out of Bishop college. Thomas finished with five Pro Bowls, one All-Pro, and 58 career interceptions (including an interception in Super Bowl IV), all in 13 NFL seasons.
Now, in 2022, there is a signing the Chiefs made after the draft that has people praising both the organization and the player.
Chiefs Justyn Ross gets high praise
Justyn Ross, the former Clemson wide receiver, was undrafted in this recent draft. Due to some injuries throughout his career, teams strayed away from Ross. It is honestly shocking that the former Clemson receiver was not drafted, even in the later rounds. However, the Chiefs got him for nothing in terms of draft capital.
And his former coach, Dabo Swinney, thinks Ross could end up as the greatest undrafted free agent of all-time.
First off, Swinney is Ross' former coach, so the praise is expected. And there's a catch with Swinney's statement: if Ross stays healthy. Ross has dealt with numerous amount of injuries in his career but has still managed to be a serviceable receiver in college, at the highest level you can be at in college, as well.
In college, Ross had a few good years at Clemson. His best was his freshman year in 2018 when Ross finished with 46 receptions, 1000 yards, and nine touchdowns in 14 games. His sophomore year saw a slight decrease, but he was still very effective, as he finished with 66 receptions, 865 yards, and eight touchdowns in 14 games.
In his 2020 season, Ross did not play due to a spinal disorder. In 2021, Ross finished with 46 receptions, 514 yards, and three touchdowns in 10 games.
Ross has the potential to be great. Now, can he be the greatest UDFA ever like Swinney says? Probably not. He would be faced against some of the all-time greats in the history of the NFL. Kurt Warner, Dick Lane, and Antonio Gates just to name a few.
You know, Hall of Fame-type players.
While the Chiefs certainly hope Justyn Ross becomes the best UDFA ever, that won't be known for a while. Right now, they're just happy if he can make plays in 2022.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
