Bengals: Why John Ross can finally live up to his draft billing in 2020
By Aaron Burd
If he can stay healthy, former first-round pick John Ross III could emerge as a breakout star in the Cincinnati Bengals’ loaded wide receiver room.
As the 2020 season quickly approaches, the wide receiver position is one of the Cincinnati Bengals’ most exciting position groups. With A.J. Green returning from injury and the addition of Tee Higgins, the receivers could be the team’s biggest strength. However, fourth-year receiver John Ross III is not getting the recognition he deserves. The former ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft could be the Bengals’ most improved player in 2020.
It has been a bumpy three years for Ross up to this point. In his first three seasons, he has caught just 49 passes for 716 yards and 10 touchdowns. These are pretty disappointing numbers for someone drafted in the top ten as Ross was. However, this has not all been the young receiver’s fault. A combination of injuries, coaching, and poor quarterback play have all contributed to his underwhelming start.
With a coach who showed faith in Ross in Zac Taylor and a new quarterback with outstanding deep ball accuracy in Joe Burrow, things could get much better for the speedster in 2020.