CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Undrafted rookie wide receiver Fred Ross was easy to spot last weekend during the Carolina Panthers rookie camp in which many drills didn’t require helmets.
The curly, blonde-dyed hair with dark fringes made him an easy target.
But a week earlier in the draft, Mississippi State’s all-time leading receiver went unnoticed, something he still doesn’t understand.
“I don’t know, man,” Ross said at the end of the two-day camp. “I feel like I did enough in college to be drafted, but that wasn’t God’s plan. So I’m going to take this opportunity and run with it.”
Ross is one of several undrafted players who have a chance to make Carolina’s roster -- or at least the practice squad. Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware is another.
Ross in particular offers a trait the Panthers saw in running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Curtis Samuel, the team’s first- and second-round draft picks: Versatility.
“I can play inside, I can play outside, I can return punts,” Ross said. “I can do a lot as far as receiver.”
Ross showed that during the camp, lining up at every receiver position and even taking handoffs on an end around.
“I bring a lot of everything to the table. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team.”
What Ross doesn’t have is blazing speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds at the NFL combine. Samuel, the do-it-all receiver from Ohio State, posted a 4.31.
“But I play much faster,” Ross said.
Ross definitely isn’t to be mistaken for University of Washington wide receiver John Ross, who set a combine record with a 40 time of 4.22 seconds.
But in terms of production, something Carolina general manager puts more stock in than “how fast a guy goes in his underwear,” he stacks up.
Fred Ross, who is 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, set Mississippi State school records with 190 catches for 2,528 yards. His 22 touchdown catches rank second in school history.
John Ross (5-11, 190) had 114 catches for 1,729 yards and 22 touchdowns. He didn’t emerge until this past season, when he caught 81 passes for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns. Cincinnati made him the ninth pick of the draft.
Take it another step and compare Fred Ross to another Southeastern Conference star receiver who wore No. 8 in college -- Julio Jones. Now a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Atlanta Falcons, Jones had 179 catches for 2,653 yards and 15 touchdowns in three seasons at Alabama.
Jones also ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds and was selected No. 6 overall.
There's no doubt that the lack of speed hurt Ross. One of the knocks on him is trouble separating from defensive backs.
But in terms of production – and hair – he stands out. That gives him a chance to earn two or three open spots at the receiver position.
Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess and Samuel would have to be considered locks for what typically are five spots.
That leaves Brenton Bersin, Damiere Byrd, Keyarris Garrett, Charles Johnson, Russell Shepard and likely Ross fighting for the other spots.
Ross already seems to have the edge on Garrett, an undrafted free agent last year.
“I bring a lot of everything to the table,” Ross said. “I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team.”
He wants to stand out for more than his hair.
“Coach Shula was telling me to cut it,” Ross said of Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Shula. “He jokes about it, but I think he likes it.”
