Ok guys - I'm not going to keep you in suspense.
With the 27th pick of the 2017 ROD NFL draft the New Orleans Saints select.
John Ross, WR - Washington
Ross is an instant weapon, on both O and on ST. He's an upgrade on Brandin Cooks, He's got home-run gear to yank the top off of defenses. Vertical speed demands respect and creates open throws underneath. Corners open hips early to turn and sprint, leaving his curl and dig routes unchallenged. Feet are fire. On verticals from the slot, sells the corner route and stems to the post with a burst for easy separation and a comfortable throwing window for the quarterback. Hands are generally solid. Plus hand-eye coordination. Natural ball-tracker who locates the deep ball early and watches it. Dangerous show-and-go open-field ability after the catch. Able to win with slants or fades near the goal line. Eludes the first tackler and can turn a short one into a long one in a heartbeat. Has enough size to work from outside or from the slot. Saw four of his eight carries go for 15-plus yards. Has returned at least one kickoff for a touchdown in each of his three years at Washington.
Cornerbacks have a hard time running with Ross, and he is a threat to rip off yards in chunks with his run-after-the-catch skills. Ross is a sure-handed and natural receiver as a route-runner. He tracks the ball very well downfield and has late hands to reach out for receptions rather than tipping off defensive backs by extending too early.
Ross is short and lacks length, so he isn't going to be receiver who wins a lot of 50-50 passes against NFL cornerbacks, but he has the speed to beat most defenders...