One of the players that has been linked to the Philadelphia Eagles during the pre-draft process, even after the Birds added receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to the mix, has been Washington speedster John Ross.
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A few months ago, we noted that the Eagles' focus on free agency and the draft at the wide receiver position would be on speed. Sure enough, the Eagles poked around a bit on blazers like DeSean Jackson and Kenny Stills, before ultimately settling on Smith.
While Smith was a nice pickup and an upgrade over what the Eagles have on the outside, the Eagles may not want to stop there. They could look to find a long-term playmaker with top-end speed for their offense. John Ross has top-end speed, and then some. At the 2017 NFL Combine, he ran an absolutely blazing 4.22, breaking the previous record of 4.24, which was held by Chris Johnson.
Doug Pederson was asked specifically about Ross at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix a couple weeks ago.
Speed is great and all, but can he play football?
Yes. In 2016, Ross had 81 catches for 1150 yards and 17 TDs. While his calling card is deep speed, Ross also has good hands, he can work the short-to-intermediate routes, and get yards after the catch. He was also a dangerous kick returner, taking four kicks to the house in his career at Washington. He's hardly a one-trick pony.
The downside with Ross, however, is his extensive history of injuries.
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