Josh Ross

Class:
Graduate Student
Position:
LB
Height:
6-2
Weight:
224
Hometown:
Southfield, Mich.
High School:
Orchard Lake St. Mary's

CAREER HIGHS

• Tackles: 12 - vs. Penn State (Nov. 28, 2020)
• Solos: 7, 2x - last at Maryland (Nov. 20, 2021)
• Asst: 8 - vs. Michigan State (Oct. 31, 2020)
• TFLs: 2.0 - vs. Rutgers (Sept. 25, 2021)
• Sacks: 1, 2x - last at Rutgers (Nov. 21, 2020)
• Int: 1 - at Minnesota (Oct. 24, 2020)
• FR: none
• PBUs: 1, 5x - last vs. Northwestern (Oct. 23, 2021)

At Michigan
• Two-time All-Big Ten honoree (third team media, 2021; honorable mention, coaches in 2018, '21 and media in 2018)
• Twice voted a Team Captain by his teammates (2020-21)
• Recipient of the 2018 Team Blue Collar Award and the 2021 Roger Zatkoff Award and Robert P. Ufer Bequest
• Appeared in 50 games with 24 starts at linebacker as a Wolverine
• Five-year letterman (2017-18-19-20-21)

Graduate Student (2021)
• Started all 14 games at linebacker; led the defense with a team-high 106 tackles including nine for loss and a shared sack; also broke up two passes and had eight quarterback hurries to earn his fifth varsity letter
• All-Big Ten selection (third team, media; honorable mention, coaches)
• Recipient of the team's Robert P. Ufer Bequest and the Roger Zatkoff Award
• Shared Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Washington
• Tied for the team lead with six tackles (four solo) in a start against Western Michigan (Sept. 4), adding two quarterback hurries and a half-tackle for loss
• Led the defense with 11 stops (four solo) including one for loss against Washington (Sept. 11); added three hurries and one pass breakup
• Again led the defense with six tackles (three solo) against Northern Illinois (Sept. 18)
• Totaled six tackles (four solo) with two for loss against Rutgers (Sept. 25)
• Added three tackles (one solo) with a split-tackle for loss at Wisconsin (Oct. 2)
• Led the defense with eight tackles (one solo) and a split-tackle for loss starting at Nebraska (Oct. 9)
• Produced four solo tackles with one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry against Northwestern (Oct. 23)
• Led the team with 10 stops (six solo) at Michigan State (Oct. 30)
• Started in the middle against Indiana (Nov. 6) and had seven total stops (two solo)
• Contributed 11 tackles (six solo) with two for loss starting at Penn State (Nov. 13)
• Delivered eight tackles (seven solo) including one for loss at Maryland (Nov. 20)
• Collected six tackles with one for loss in a start against Ohio State (Nov. 27), adding one quarterback hurry
• Paced the defense with nine tackles starting against Iowa in the big Ten Championship Game (Dec. 4)
• Led the defense with 11 tackles (four solo) and a half-tackle for loss against Georgia in the Capital One Orange Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)

Senior (2020)
• Appeared in all six games with six starts at linebacker; made 53 tackles with 1.5 for loss including one sack with one interception and one quarterback hurry to earn his fourth varsity letter
• Shared Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Rutgers
• Led the team with nine stops (five solo) after starting at linebacker at Minnesota (Oct. 24), and added an 18-yard interception return after his first career pick
• Credited with eight assisted stops against Michigan State (Oct 31), including a shared tackle for loss
• Totaled five tackles at Indiana (Nov. 7) playing linebacker and special teams
• Made eight tackles (six solo) against Wisconsin (Nov. 14)
• Led the team with 11 tackles to match a career-high, including a sack at Rutgers (Nov. 21)
• Made a career-high 12 tackles, leading the defense against Penn State (Nov. 28)

Junior (2019)
• Appeared in four games with three starts at linebacker and made 18 tackles to earn his third varsity letter
• Notched six tackles against Middle Tennessee State (Aug. 31) playing linebacker and contributing on special teams
• Made nine total tackles playing linebacker and special teams against Army (Sept. 7)
• Credited with three tackles at Wisconsin (Sept. 21)
• Played on special teams against Alabama in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl (Jan. 1) in his return from injury

Sophomore (2018)
• Appeared in 13 games and started one at linebacker; recorded 61 tackles and one sack to earn his second varsity letter
• All-Big Ten selection (honorable mention, coaches and media)
• Along with the entire defense, secured a share of Defensive Player of the Week honors for their contributions towards the team performance against Michigan State
• Delivered the Big Hit of the Week at Rutgers
• Also shared Big Hit of the Week honors with Devin Bush and Khaleke Hudson against Wisconsin
• Recipient of the Team Blue Collar Award
• Contributed on special teams and as a reserve linebacker in two positions at Notre Dame (Sept. 1), making five tackles with three solo stops
• Played two linebacker positions against Western Michigan (Sept. 8) and added help on special teams, making seven tackles and 1.5 stops for loss
• Contributed four stops against SMU (Sept. 15) playing linebacker and special teams
• Made four tackles with 0.5 for loss against Nebraska (Sept. 22)
• Broke up one pass and made two assisted tackles at Northwestern (Sept. 29)
• Totaled three tackles playing linebacker and special teams against Maryland (Oct. 6)
• Made five stops and added a quarterback hurry against Wisconsin (Oct. 13)
• Assisted on two tackles while playing linebacker and contributing on special teams at Michigan State (Oct. 20)
• Picked up two tackles playing linebacker and on special teams against Penn State (Nov. 3)
• Made four tackles (0.5 for loss) and broke up a pass at Rutgers (Nov. 10)
• Registered one quarterback hurry and assisted on five stops against Indiana (Nov. 17)
• Finished with seven tackles including one for loss at Ohio State (Nov. 24)
• Made his first career start at middle linebacker and led the team with 11 tackles against Florida in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (Dec. 29)

Freshman (2017)
• Played in all 13 games contributing on special teams and made a total of 4 tackles and earned his first varsity letter
• Made his collegiate debut contributing on special teams against Florida at the Advocare Classic (Sept. 2)
• Contributed on special teams against Cincinnati (Sept. 9), Purdue (Sept. 23), Michigan State (Oct. 7), Indiana (Oct. 14), Penn State (Oct. 21), Maryland (Nov. 11), Wisconsin (Nov. 18), Ohio State (Nov. 25)
• Made his first career tackle while playing special teams against Air Force (Sept. 16)
• Made an assisted tackle against Rutgers (Oct. 28) while playing on special teams
• Made one solo stop while playing special teams against Minnesota (Nov. 4)
• Made a solo tackle while playing special teams in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina (Jan. 1)

Prep
• Attended St. Mary's High School (2017) coached by George Porritt
• Helped lead team to three straight MHSAA DIII state championships from 2014-16
• All League in basketball from 2016-2017, and the 2017 Catholic League Player of the Year
• St. Mary's Prep Senior of the Year

Key Statistics
• Recorded 136 tackles (78 solo), 19 TFLs, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception as a senior
• Registered 110 solo tackles, 173 total tackles, 22 TFLs, nine forced fumbles, eight sacks and three interceptions as a junior
• Recorded 123 tackles as a sophomore

Honors and Rankings
• 247.com four-star prospect, rated as the No. 214player nationally and the No. 9 ILB prospect
• Rivals four-star prospect, rated as the No. 15 OLB prospect and the No. 3 player in Michigan
• ESPN four-star prospect, ranked as the No. 236 overall player nationally and No. 15 at OLB
• PrepStar four-star recruit and ranked No. 242 nationally
• Four-time MaxPreps All-American (second team senior; first team junior; second team sophomore; second team freshman)
• Named the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year for Michigan in 2016 and named to the All-USA Michigan first team
• Played in the inaugural Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 22, 2017
• 2015 AP Player of the Year for Michigan Division 3-4
• 2016 MLive Detroit Defensive Player of the Year
• 2016 MLive Detroit Defensive Dream Team member
• 2015 and 2016 Detroit News All-State Dream Team
• PrepStar Top 350 All-American selection
• Attended the 2016 The Opening in Beaverton, Oregon
• Captain of the 2016 Detroit Free Press Dream Team

Personal
• Josh Ross was born Oct. 31, 1999
• Brother James played for Michigan from 2012-15 played one season with the San Diego Chargers
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in AfroAmerican and African Studies

Coach Chris Partridge on Josh Ross
"I had the privilege of coaching Josh's older brother (James) for the bowl game two years ago, and the Ross family is just a great family. Josh is a great kid. He's physical, he's tough, and he's hard-nosed. He is one of those guys you think about when you think Michigan football and the level of physicality we play with here. He is going to be a middle linebacker for us. We are glad we are continuing the Ross family legacy and that he is following in his brother's footsteps."

Coach Don Brown on Josh Ross
"Josh is a tremendous fundamental linebacker. He is also an excellent blitzer. He is an aggressive player and a great tackler, and his fundamentals are off the charts. Josh plays with tremendous passion at the linebacker position, and with his brother having played here he obviously has the right blood lines. He can play either of the inside two positions, so he has position flexibility."