Clemson will have to play this season without one of its top players.
Junior wide receiver Justyn Ross will miss the upcoming season after learning he was born with a rare spine condition called a congenital fusion, Dabo Swinney announced on Monday.
In Ross' condition, two of his spinal vertebrae are fused together, appearing structurally and functionally as one. Swinney says they discovered the condition with an X-ray in the spring after he was slow to get up from a hit in practice. Ross is set to have surgery for the condition on Friday.
Ross was projected almost unanimously as a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft after strong freshman and sophomore seasons.
Last season, he totaled 66 catches for 865 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 13.1 yards per catch. As a freshman, he averaged 21.7 yards per reception, finishing with 46 catches for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns.
Source: @gmraynor
