With one play, Ross is on the radar
By Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 8, 2011 3:36 p.m. |(0) Comments
He picked off a Super Bowl MVP, saw nothing but fans in stands and — for a moment — considered doing his first Lambeau Leap.
Everything Brandian Ross dreamed of was literally right in front of him.
“Then, I realized I had about 10 more plays left,” the cornerback said. “I didn’t want to waste all of my energy celebrating. I knew Aaron Rodgers would come back at me.”
Rodgers sure did. Well, at least until Saturday's Family Night scrimmage was cut short due to weather. But with one play, the undrafted cornerback from Youngstown State officially blipped onto the Packers’ radar. That’s how it works for the undrafted rookies. Claw for reps, make a play, get noticed and do your best to take advantage of it.
"Thousands" of people mispronounce Ross' first name, he said. It's pronounced “Brandon." Now that people know who he is, it's time to build momentum.
“Just use it as motivation and keep making more big plays,” said Ross, who had 60 tackles, three interceptions and eight pass breakups his final year at college. “Don’t dwell on it. Try to keep it moving now. Just keep getting better with my technique so I can make more big plays.”
On the first play of Family Night, Ross noticed Rodgers and James Jones communicating before the snap. Without hesitation, he jumped the route and glided to the end zone for a touchdown. It was all instinct and technique, he said.
Guys like him need to take such gambles because guys like him sift in and out of training camps.
Some make it, many don’t.
Here in Green Bay, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields went from camp fillers to Super Bowl contributors — a big reason Ross chose to sign with the Packers when the lockout was lifted. Ross fielded plenty of phone calls that day, but decided on the Packers also because they actively courted him before the draft. He had visited with coaches and general manager Ted Thompson.
The cold hard reality is that there are not many roster spots up for grabs this summer. Factor in that there were no OTAs or minicamps to serve as training wheels and all of these undrafted free agents face long odds. Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. said last week — merely a few days into camp — that 70 calls were already installed. Heads are spinning.
“The vets are helping them,” Whitt Jr. said then. “They’re studying extra and hopefully this Family Night scrimmage we’ll see if it’s too big for them or if they’re still comfortable and can make plays.”
So Ross passed the first test. He picked off Rodgers and broke up another deep pass intended for Jordy Nelson. He wasn’t perfect, but it's a start. Ross' secondary coach at Youngstown State wasn’t surprised to hear about the big play. What made him special in college, Buffano says, was his ability to pick up schemes fast.
Ross played cornerback and safety, often serving as a pseudo assistant coach to the younger players.
“He understands the game,” Buffano said. “He was a boundary corner for us, which in our defense, is more demanding and more challenging. He understands the concepts of what an offense is trying to do with their route schemes and what we’re trying to do on defense.
“He knows what the other 10 guys are doing. His knowledge of the game and football IQ is very high.”
This week, Brandian Ross is a somebody at Packers camp. Now, he needs to do it again. And again. And, um, probably again. This, he knows. Ross hasn’t bumped into Rodgers since the scrimmage.
“No," Ross said, "I’m keeping away from him,” Ross said.
Probably for the best. He hopes another opportunity comes his way.