The Bengals stunned the NFL Thursday night when they gave A.J. Green the fastest running mate of all in the person of Washington wide receiver John Ross.
Ross’ record-setting speed of 4.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash at last month’s scouting combine along with his remarkable collegiate record of 23 touchdowns on 112 touches convinced the Bengals to use the draft’s ninth pick in unBengal fashion.
At 5-11, 190 pounds, Ross is just the third wide receiver in head coach Marvin Lewis’ 15 drafts to be shorter than six feet. And outside of Green in 20011 and Peter Warrick in 2000, both taken with the fourth pick, Ross is the only other Bengals receiver to be drafted inside the top ten on a star-studded list ranging from such names as Green, Chad Johnson and Isaac Curtis.