Justyn Ross Officially Enters NFL Draft, Says Farewell to Clemson

Clemson receiver Justyn Ross thanks fans, teammates and coaches for his collegiate experience.

What's long been decided became official Thursday when Clemson receiver Justyn Ross officially entered the NFL draft.

The redshirt junior missed the last three games of the season with a foot injury that required surgery. Ross caught 47 passes for 524 yards and three touchdowns in 2021. 

For his career, the Alabama native recorded 159 receptions, 2,389 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ross went over 1,000 yards in his freshman season and helped lead Clemson to the national championship. 

"The last four years at Clemson have been nothing short of amazing," Ross said in an Instagram post on Thursday. "When I stepped on campus as a freshman I knew it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The Clemson fans accepted me and made me feel like family."

In the spring of 2020, Ross suffered a neck injury that wasn't serious, but further examination discovered a congenital fusion in his spine. He underwent surgery that summer and missed the 2020 season. 

Ross returned in 2021 and was cleared last August. The foot injury initially occurred before the season opener against Georgia on Sept. 4, and Ross played through it until the Nov. 13 game against UConn when he aggravated it to the point of needing surgery.

"He just kind of planted wrong, so it’s something that he’s been battling all year long, since day one — since before Georgia,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said in November. “He’s been battling this and he’s really done well. He’s really not had any issues with it after he got through the first week or two.”

Once the decision was made to shut it down for the rest of 2021, Swinney announced that Ross would head off to the NFL in 2022. And on Thursday, Ross said his final goodbyes to Clemson Nation.

Before the season, Ross was projected as a first-round selection by many pundits, but his NFL draft stock has fallen some in recent months, somewhat due to his production falling off during a struggling time for Clemson's offense. Ross is more likely to go in the second or third round, depending on his health and NFL evaluations. 

“He doesn’t need another season," Swinney said. "He’s going pro and going to be a great one. He’s more than ready. He’d have been ready last year if he’d have not gotten hurt. He’ll get himself healthy."

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