Could Cam Ross Be the Next Great Wide Receiver for Virginia Football?

Ross was recruited to Virginia to primarily help the Cavaliers on special teams, as he's proven himself as a speedy kick returner. Last season, Ross notched a 94-yard kick return touchdown against Southern Miss.

"They [the UVa coaching staff] expressed how open kick return was. It's something that I want to gain their trust, to be the guy back there, to be able to receive at the start of every possession, and make a play there," said Ross in an interview when he arrived on grounds in January. 

Now it appears Ross has the potential to play in multiple roles as he's made his presence known in the wide receiver room.

On Monday, Coach Gaither had this to say about Ross, "I think he's probably the most valuable player up to this point on our offense. Just coming out of spring, you didn't know what you had. He was still learning the offense. And then you watched him train through the summer. His body changed. [He] was diligent and intentional about every rep he took. And to this point right now, he's probably one of our best players. And so to have one of your best players playing at a high level every snap, being very intentional about every rep, to be a guy that's going to be responsible for returning, it's a huge asset for us."

So with Ross making waves, it's hard not to compare him to a graduate transfer wide receiver from two years ago by the name of Malik Washington. A transfer from Northwestern, Washington arrived after recording 65 catches for 694 yards and one touchdown. Once on grounds, Washington made an instant impact as he recorded one of the greatest seasons in Virginia wide receiver history as he recorded 110 catches (single season school record), 1,426 yards (single season school record), and nine touchdowns. 

If Ross could provide anything close to that production or take a significant step in his final collegiate season, it would go a long way for quarterback Chandler Morris and the Virginia offense in achieving its goals for the 2025 season.