Clemson football: Justyn Ross ranked as a top-3 WR in the nation

Clemson football fans have heard a lot about Justyn Ross this week and most of it hasn’t been very factual.

Ross was the subject of transfer rumors earlier this week, but he quickly put those to rest and said that “had no idea where they came from.” Dabo Swinney followed up Ross’s comments the following day by saying he was the last to hear of the rumors and that he’s not sure “what planet they came from.”

Ross is set to attend a doctor’s appointment in June where he could potentially receive final clearance to begin football activities at 100 percent again.

Even without that clearance, the Clemson football WR is racking up accolades

247 Sports recently released its list of the top-10 wide receivers in the nation heading into the 2021 season and, to no surprise, Ross made the cut.

Justyn Ross was ranked No. 3 in the nation on the list. Here’s a look at the top five:

1. Chris Olave (Ohio State)
2. Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
3. Justyn Ross (Clemson)
4. Treylon Burks (Arkansas)
5. Marvin Mims (Oklahoma)

Once you get through the top-five, there is real discussion about who should be the next five. There are a lot of names, but not a ton of experience or top-tier proven talent. If you saw the draft class we just had in 2021, you understand why.

That being said, it’s still extremely impressive for Ross to be ranked third in the nation coming into this season after he has missed a full year of football, but it just goes to show the explosiveness he has shown during his time with the Clemson football program.

Here’s what Pro Football Focus had to say about Ross:

"“The 6-foot-4 receiver earns his cheddar on vertical routes. He established himself as one of the best deep threats in college football in his two seasons prior to 2020, coming away with the third-most touchdowns on targets of 20-plus yards during that span (11). His size comes in clutch on these targets, as he flat-out bodies defensive backs in contested situations — he’s hauled in nine of 13 such deep targets in his career. Ross isn’t uber-athletic, but he wins so often because of his physicality.”"

If he had been able to play last year, the discussion for top receiver in the nation would certainly be on the table and it would be a competition between him and Olave for the top spot.

Still, it’s astounding to see what he has been able to do and the work that he has put in to get to this spot. Ross legitimately has a shot at being a first-rounder and it’s clear that his talent is respected by many analysts around the country.