ROCKINGHAM — While he was looking for colleges to attend and continue his football career, Richmond Senior High School’s Caleb Ross was eyeing a unique quality that the Raiders had offered him the past four years — a sense of family.
And Ross, a six-foot, 255-pound offensive tackle, found that characteristic in the North Carolina Wesleyan College football program.
Surrounded by teammates, family members, head coach Bryan Till, offensive line coach Kemp McSween and offensive coordinator Brad Denson, Ross signed his commitment letter to play for the Battling Bishops on Friday afternoon in the school’s media center.
Ross became the seventh Raider football player in the class of 2019 to commit to play college football, joining teammate Jake Ransom (UNC-Charlotte) as the second offensive lineman.
“It was exciting and a relief all at the same time,” Ross said of the moment he inked his future career. “The recruiting process is really tough and a lot harder than people think. I had to make sure everything was right, but I’m so happy I’m officially a part of the team.”
Prior to committing to Wesleyan, Ross’ top choice was North Carolina A&T University, a program he intended to walk on with. But all of that changed around the Christmas holiday when the Battling Bishops and head coach Jeff Filkovski showed up on his radar.
He explained that he applied to Wesleyan and took interest in not only the football team, but also the criminal justice program, which is what he plans on making his major. In January, Ross traveled to the school’s campus in Rocky Mount, N.C., and went on his official visit.
“It was the criminal justice program that I really liked,” Ross noted. “I went on a tour of the criminal justice building while I was there, and was able to talk to some of the professors. It was worth it. I’ve always been into that, and I want to pursue a career in the FBI.”
Ross was accompanied by assistant coach Pernell Ingram, as well as several of the team’s current players, and said the four-hour long tour gave him an in-depth look at what to expect both on the field and in the classroom. Another appealing aspect of Wesleyan was the school’s smaller size, which is more of his style.
Also while on campus, Ross felt the sense of family that Till and the Raiders had afforded him the last couple of seasons.
“The atmosphere and the way the coaches are really stood out to me,” Ross said. “The coaches at Wesleyan want to connect with the players, which is a lot like Richmond. It’s like being a second family — that’s what sold me on them.
“The coaches also explained how practice and class would go together so I wouldn’t have to worry about stressing over one or the other,” he added.
As a junior in 2017, Ross suffered broken fingers that sidelined him for a couple of games. This past fall, a concussion in the season opener against Reagan High School led to him missing three games. But he persevered and served as an integral part of the Richmond offense the remainder of the season.
In 2018, the Raiders went 11-2 overall and made it to the third round of the NCHSAA state playoffs as a No. 2 seed. As a part of the offensive line, Ross helped the Raider offense collect 4,563 yards of total offense, and average 351 yards per game. Ross’ work up front also led to 62 total touchdowns (23 passing, 39 rushing).
“Caleb has made tremendous strides in the last year and a half,” Till commented. “He put in tons of work in the weight room to get stronger so that he could compete weekly with the top competition in the state. I am very proud of him and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow and compete while he’s in college.”
When Ross reports to Wesleyan later this summer, he expects to “fight for a starting spot” on the team. Last season, the Battling Bishops (Division III) went 5-5 overall and finished tied for third in the USA South Atlantic Conference.
He also hopes to take all of the tools he learned while at Richmond, as well as his energy, to the Wesleyan program.
“Playing at Richmond taught me how to perfect my craft, even off the field at home,” he said. “This year was crazy with my concussion, but Coach Hadinger helped me get right for the rest of the season. And all my other coaches helped me get me ready for college (football).
“I hope to take my energy and help everybody get ready for the season,” he concluded.
