Clemson WR Justyn Ross to Undergo Spinal Surgery, Miss Entire 2020 Season

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney told reporters Monday that wide receiver Justyn Ross would need to undergo spinal surgery for a congenital fusion and is expected to miss the entirety of the 2020 season, according to Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press and Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports. 

The injury was discovered after Ross missed time in March because of "stinger symptoms":

Swinney added that Ross was "in a great place mentally" despite the injury:

Ross, 20, has been excellent for Clemson the past two seasons, catching 112 passes for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. He would have been Trevor Lawrence's top option in the passing game this upcoming season with Tee Higgins in the NFL.

He's a promising NFL prospect, though his injury status will be closely monitored by teams.

B/R's Matt Miller had Ross No. 21 on his 2021 big board, writing the following:

"Justyn Ross is one of the best wide receivers in college football, which may beg the question of why he slots in so low here. The main reason is that Ross is a carbon copy of Tee Higgins, who was an early second-round selection.

"Ross is a big-bodied target and an excellent vertical threat, but scouts will question his lack of burst and speed in his routes and with the ball in his hands. If he can trim down his 40-yard dash time and become more explosive in the open field, he could be a first-rounder in 2021."

With Higgins gone and Ross injured, Clemson will turn to Amari Rodgers (30 receptions for 426 yards and four touchdowns last year), Joe Ngata (17 catches for 240 yards and three scores) and Frank Ladson Jr. (nine receptions for 128 yards and three touchdowns).