Photo by Brian Ray, www.hawkeyesports.com Brady Ross, a Humboldt High School graduate, blocks for Iowa against Iowa State last season.

IOWA CITY — Iowa’s Brady Ross is both reflective and introspective at this stage in his football career.

The 2015 Humboldt High School graduate is also more appreciative than ever of the time he has left on the field.

Ross inched closer to full strength this spring, three months after he had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left ankle. Though the starting fullback — who will be entering his redshirt senior season on the gridiron this fall — missed the first six practices of the spring session for precautionary reasons, he returned to full speed for the final week and declared himself “pretty much back to normal” afterward.

“I’m getting there,” said Ross, who suffered the injury at Indiana in mid-October and missed the remainder of the regular season. “I worked my way back into it during the last five practices and felt ready to go. Like usual, I’m not taking any of this for granted.”

Ross was initially expected to only miss a few weeks after being diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, but an MRI revealed ligament damage that eventually required “TightRope surgery” on Jan. 3 — two days after Iowa’s Outback Bowl victory over Mississippi State.

“They tie your tibia and fibula together,” Ross said of the procedure, “and it does the job that the torn ligaments used to do.”

With one season of eligibility remaining, Ross plans on taking his leadership responsibilities to a new level — while also paving the way for future Hawkeyes.

“You obviously want to embrace a bigger role in the program with each (passing year),” said Ross, who served as a team captain before the injury in 2018. “I’ll be focused on contributing as much as I can for my senior season, but also, grooming others so that they can fill your shoes after you’re gone. You focus on the here and now, and make sure things are in good hands moving forward.

“We can never have enough good leaders who understand the ins and outs of being a Hawkeye football player and the responsibility that comes with it.”

The team votes on its captains every week. Ross said it would be a “tremendous honor to be considered again” this fall.

“You never expect something like that when you show up as a wide-eyed freshman walk-on,” said Ross, who went on scholarship in 2017. “Being a captain is not a role I have taken — or would take — lightly. Regardless of what happens there, I’ll do my best to be an effective leader again for my senior year.”

Two of Ross’s former teammates — tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant — were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday. While their departure leaves the position in a period of transition, “we still have a good group of tight ends who are flying under the radar and waiting their turn.”

“There are big shoes to fill, obviously, given we lost two first-rounders,” Ross said. “But we have hungry guys in the room who are ready to go. If (the fullbacks) have to take on more responsibility (with blocking) in the process, we’ll be ready. Either way, we’ll focus on whatever is best for the offense and the team.”

Ross, a two-time academic all-Big Ten selection, is graduating next month with a degree in business management. He will continue to work toward a minor in human resources through the fall.