While all of the attention coming out of the Michigan Wolverines’ Pro Day Friday was the news of star EDGE David Ojabo’s injury in drills that ultimately resulted in a torn Achilles, Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline dropped an interesting nugget Friday regarding the Steelers.
According to Pauline, the Steelers — who had head coach Mike Tomlin, General Manager Kevin Colbert, senior defensive assistant/LB coach Brian Flores, and more at Friday’s Michigan Pro Day — reportedly were “showing love” to Michigan linebacker Josh Ross and took the physical linebacker out to dinner following the Pro Day.
“Linebacker Josh Ross ran the 40 again and reportedly looked real good in drills. I am much higher on Ross than most in the scouting community, and despite poor testing at the Combine, he’s a terrific linebacker,” Pauline writes. “It should come as no surprise the Pittsburgh Steelers took him out to dinner after the event. Ross’ style of play parallels Myles Jack, who ironically just signed a two-year deal with Pittsburgh.
Ross ran a 4.79 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis earlier this month, and measured in at 6003, 227 pounds.
Ross was twice voted a team captain at Michigan in 2020 and 2021, and appeared in 50 career games, starting 24 under Jim Harbaugh.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had this to say about Ross after the Combine: “Undersized inside linebacker lacking the top-end speed and versatility to excite most teams. Ross is an “intangibles guy,” offering terrific leadership and competitive fire to the defensive unit. He demands accountability for himself and others, but will struggle to make his mark on the field due to a lack of size and playmaking traits. He’s active and competitive, but offers no help as a third-down option and has tape that falls short of the mark.”
Pauline makes the comparison to Myles Jack’s play style, but Ross fits more like a guy Flores was familiar with in New England and Miami in free agent linebacker Elandon Roberts as a physical downhill linebacker who can be a special teams leader overall.
Though it’s still early in the process, Ross is a name worth keeping an eye on throughout Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
