| Fred Ross | |
| Number: | 2, 1 |
| Position: | Wide receiver |
| Birth Date: | 19 May 1995 |
| Birth Place: | Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 2 |
| Weight Lbs: | 205 |
| High School: | John Tyler (Tyler, Texas) |
| College: | Mississippi State |
| Undraftedyear: | 2017 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Highlights: | |
Frederick Darrell Ross Jr.,[1] (born May 19, 1995) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Mississippi State.
Ross attended John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas, where he caught over 200 passes and was named a First-team Parade All-American.
Ross was rated as a four-star recruit by 247sports.com,[2] ESPN,[3] Rivals.com,[4] and Scout.com.[5] Ross received scholarship offers from Baylor, Memphis, Missouri, Texas Tech, Rice, and West Virginia, but committed to Oklahoma State on February 25, 2012.[6]
A year later, Ross decided to instead sign with Mississippi State.[7] [8]
Ross played as a true freshman and made his debut in the first game of the 2013 season, catching a pass in a 21–3 loss to Oklahoma State in the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff.[9] Ross finished the season with nine catches for 115 yards.
Ross played in every game for the Bulldogs in 2014. He caught his first two touchdowns in a 49–0 rout of Southern Miss.[10] Ross came on strong in the second half of the season, with 24 catches for 382 yards over the last 7 games. This included a 107-yard performance against Arkansas[11] and 102 yards in the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech.[12] Ross also saw limited action at punt returner in 2014.
Ross has had a breakout season in 2015, leading the team in receptions. Highlights include nine receptions in a 21–19 loss to LSU,[13] 11 receptions against Texas A&M,[14] and a two-touchdown game (one receiving, one on a punt return) against Troy.[15] Ross had 10 receptions in a 51–50 thriller over Arkansas[16] and 12 receptions in an Egg Bowl loss to Ole Miss.[17] Ross finished the season with a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the Belk Bowl against NC State.[18]
Ross finished the season with a school-record 88 receptions (which was also the highest total in the SEC), and became the second receiver in MSU history to post a 1,000-yard season.
Ross missed Spring practice before the 2016 season with a groin injury.[19] On October 22 in a game against Kentucky, Ross became the Bulldogs' career leader in receptions.[20]
| Receiving | Rushing | Punt Returns | |||||||||||||
| Year | Team | Games | Rec | Yds | Long | TD | Att | Yds | Long | TD | Ret | Yds | Long | TD | |
| 11 | 9 | 115 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 13 | 30 | 489 | 69 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 75 | 34 | 0 | |||
| 13 | 88 | 1,007 | 59 | 5 | 2 | 42 | 33 | 1 | 17 | 155 | 77 | 1 | |||
| 13 | 72 | 917 | 60 | 12 | 2 | 39 | 60 | 0 | 14 | 78 | 16 | 0 | |||
| Career | 50 | 199 | 2,528 | 69 | 22 | 6 | 87 | 46 | 1 | 36 | 293 | 77 | 1 | ||
Ross was not drafted in the 2017 NFL draft but signed with the Carolina Panthers following the draft.[21] On September 1, 2017, he was placed on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain.[22]
On August 19, 2018, Ross was waived/injured by the Panthers with a hip injury and was placed on injured reserve.[23] He was released on September 25, 2018.
Ross was drafted by the Seattle Dragons 3rd round of the 2020 XFL Draft. The XFL is set to begin in February 2020.[24] He was waived during final roster cuts on January 22, 2020.[25]