Agreed / J ROSS / KEN SWILLING Memory

how Fortune smiles on some players and not others.

If they could have gone to the NFL immediately following our 44-16 beatdown of Bama in 2018, there would not be much doubt that both Trevor Lawrence and Justyn Ross would have been 1st round NFL Draft picks. Ross, in particular, turned in an incredible performance that night, with several acrobatic "OH WOW" catches. And, of course, Trevor Lawrence was the launcher of those passes.

Fast forward to their actual draft years, and Trevor Lawrence, as we know, maintained his status, #1 Overall pick, as good as it gets. But Justyn Ross, after the injury and surgery to correct a congenital spine defect, has an uncertain draft future, with most mock drafts having him go in later rounds, most likely 4th round.

If the NFL Draft in general is a crap shoot, then Ross is a very specific "What If?" gamble. The talent in undeniably still there. But the durability issue is something that a specific team will have to convince themselves to take the gamble on. Those guys play Monopoly with real money.

It only takes one team, but it DOES take one. Here's hoping that team shows up for Justyn sooner rather than later in the draft. His career in the NFL will definitely be an interesting one to follow.

SocMan2®

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Apr 18, 2022, 12:04 PM

76er®That said, the diagnosis for JR8 will hurt him financially but may have saved him from paralysis, Hopefully, this talented young man will come back 100% healthy and perform on the big stage and make his accolades and money. He wanted his shot. He has it. I'll be pulling hard for him.

On your broader question of player Fortune, I have never forgotten Ken Swilling. Ken was a 6'3" 245 lb an All-American safety (4.41 40) for Ga Tech in the early 1990's. He was Isaiah Simmons before Isaiah Simmons. His cousin Pat Swilling was a 5-time All-Pro and NFL Defensive Player of Year in 1991.

After dominating for the first 5 games in 1990, Swilling & Ga Tech played Clemson in Game 5. The game was big. Clemson had just crushed UGA 34-3 the previous week. Bobby Ross had a surprise for Clemson -- Swilling was placed on the kickoff return team to send a physical message. Swilling received the opening kickoff and a Tiger (cannot recall who) jacked Swilling. Swilling plowed on for about 10 yards and fell. He played the rest of the game with a severely sprained ankle and made 11 tackles in 19-21 Ga Tech win. He sat out the next two games. Tech team physician Jay Shoop told Swilling the ankle would require 6-8 weeks to heal, but Swilling suited up the next week for pivotal UVA game (UVA had earlier beaten Tigers for the 1st time in 30+ years). While Ga Tech won 41-38, Swilling was embarrassed before a national TV audience by UVA's Herman Moore, who made nine catches—five of them while covered by Swilling—for 234 yards. Swilling and his ankle were never the same physically. IMHO because of Ross' decision for him to run back the kickoff and resulting severe ankle injury and inadequate recovery time, Swilling lost his confidence and faded into football oblivion. Bad fortune for Swilling. Hopefully good fortune ahead for JR8 as he has recuperated!

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All these mock NFL Drafts I see going around just emphasize

Re: All these mock NFL Drafts I see going around just emphasize

Re: All these mock NFL Drafts I see going around just emphasize

His was a hard case. I can't say I would have made a

Agreed / J ROSS / KEN SWILLING Memory

Another linebacker from our own Clemson history that was

Re: All these mock NFL Drafts I see going around just emphasize

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