KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross, once considered an eventual first-round draft pick before a spinal disorder and other injuries disrupted his career, signed a contract as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports.
Ross caught 112 passes for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons at Clemson before he was diagnosed with a congenital fusion in his spine in the spring of 2020. Doctors told him he might never play football again.
Ross had surgery and sat out the 2020 season. He returned to play last season but was limited all season by a stress fracture in his foot. He caught 46 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns.
During the offseason, the Chiefs traded their leading wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, to the Miami Dolphins. They also lost two other top wideouts, Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson, to free agency. The only returning wide receiver among their top four from last season is Mecole Hardman.
The Chiefs signed JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Marquez Valdes-Scantling of the Green Bay Packers in free agency. They selected Skyy Moore of Western Michigan in the second round of the recent draft.