Dayvon Ross has been working hard to earn a roster spot for the Washington Redskins (6-4 conference, 6-7 overall).
He is currently under a small contract with the franchise, allowing him to practice alongside the team and practice squad. Ross mentioned the difficulty of getting attention and trust from the coaching staff.
“If you’re not drafted in like the first three rounds, then you have to really work your butt off [so] you can get looked at,” Ross said in regards to getting on the roster for the franchise. “I’ve done everything to get to a starting or even on the active roster. It’s more difficult than anything in my life.”
Ross’ performance has received compliments from NFL veterans, but making it to the Redskins roster has required Ross to work out and show his skill set during team practices.
“It’s been a couple times where I couldn’t even get out of bed because I was so sore because I was going so hard trying to get into [a] starting position,” Ross said. “I just have to wait for my chance.”
Ross has been fighting adversity after adversity since he played football for Manual Arts High School. The Toilers faced many losses, but Ross found ways to keep himself motivated.
At a game against Dorsey High School, Ross noticed recruiters from UCLA were there scouting a Dorsey football player. After that game, the Manual Arts coach told Ross that UCLA was interested. He verbally committed to the Bruins football program, but the NCAA considered him to be academically ineligible. Ross then enrolled in Southwest Community College and played for their football team.
Attending Southwest College and East LA College was difficult for Ross after being promised the platform of Division I football. Ross felt out of place during his junior college experience.
“The worst part about the whole situation was I did everything that I had to do on the football field to get a Division I scholarship,” said Ross. “If it wasn’t for football and my mom, I would have stopped at that point.”
Ross mentioned that the Southwest College football team had several losses while he played there. His efforts got Ross to Central State College in Ohio, Ross noted how hard the transition was.
“I had to get warmed up to it,” Ross said. “I didn’t start getting comfortable out there until up to the first game that I started scoring touchdowns.”
Ross stayed focused and set goals to be an All-American and a graduate from Central State. He entered the NFL Draft in 2014. The Greenbay Packers (7-3 conference, 9-4 overall) had showed interest in him throughout the draft process, noted Ross.
“They came to my Pro [Day] and they liked what they say saw,” said Ross.
Once the franchise looked at his medical records, they became unsure about giving Ross a draft pick.
“I had torn my MCL before,” Ross said. “They had records of me going to the doctor, but they didn’t have records of me getting treatment.”
At the fifth round of the NFL Draft, the Packers told Ross they would not draft him. The Seattle Seahawks (6-4 conf., 8-5 overall) invited him to their training camp.
After an injury, the Seahawks released him. Ross found a longer bond with the Redskins in 2015, according to iSports Web.
