Justyn Ross caught six passes for 153 yards after making one amazing catch after another against Alabama in the national championship game this past January 7 in Santa Clara, California.

During and since that night at Levi’s Stadium, Ross has been one of the most talked about players on Clemson’s roster. So, it would be easy for a young man to think highly of himself.

But Clemson’s wide receiver is not that kind of young man. None of that matters to him. He just wants to build off the experience. Learn from it and grow as a player.

“I have to come out here and work every day,” Ross said this past spring. “I have to come out here with the right mindset and go full speed with everything I do.”

Last year, Ross did enroll at Clemson until the summer so this is his first full spring and off-season where he can concentrate solely on getting better. Imagine had beneficial that can be to a guy who led the Tigers with 1,000 yards on 46 catches, including nine touchdowns in 2018.

“You get a chance to learn a lot more,” Ross said. “When I got here during the summer I just had to jump in and make it work the best I could. Now, I feel like I can develop a lot more.”

Clemson co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Jeff Scott says it’s Ross’ humble personality that keeps him motivated. He says the Phenix City, Alabama native is just one of those young men, like Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers, that Clemson attracts.

“Maybe it is because Coach Swinney and his recruiting talk, he gets up there and spends thirty minutes talking about no entitlement,” Scott said. “‘You are going to have earn it. I am not going to promise you anything.’ Where sometimes, the other recruiting head coaches, at other schools, are sending them text messages guaranteeing them they are going to start day one, which I think probably is not accurate.

“We don’t get kids that are looking for that. So, usually the guys that we attract are the guys that are humbled, hungry, hard-working and want to get better.”

Despite catching 12 passes for 301 yards and scoring three touchdowns against Notre Dame and Alabama in the College Football Playoff, Scott believes Ross does not get caught in all the hype and instead just goes to work and tries to get better.

“He reminds me a lot of Sammy (Watkins) in that regard,” the Clemson coach said. “Sammy was just kind of humble, ho-hum, no big deal. That is kind of how Justyn is. I mean, he knows what is out there, but he is not worried about that and he is really locked in, focused and just his humbled personality, he gets from his mom.

“That is what I would say. He reminds me a lot of his mom.”