Dreshaun Ross has become a household name in the football and wrestling ranks at both Fort Dodge Senior High and on the AAU circuit.

The recruitment of the Dodger junior star will ramp up at the start of next month, with collegiate mat programs finally being able to formally offer scholarships to the two-time state champion on Sept. 1.

Instead of being in his football jersey, though, Ross will be relegated to street clothes for at least the upcoming fall season.

The 6-foot-4 Ross had successful surgery on Friday, a few weeks after suffering a dislocated shoulder at the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps national wrestling tournament in Fargo, N.D. The injury typically sidelines athletes for a minimum of four months, which also puts most – if not all – of Ross’s junior season on the mat in doubt.

Ross, the men’s freestyle top seed at 215 pounds in Fargo, was forced to injury default after reaching the Round of 16 against Melvin Whitehead of Nevada on July 16. An MRI confirmed the shoulder dislocation, and surgery was scheduled for this week.

Ross is a four-star Rivals football prospect who already has Div. I offers on the table from Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Purdue. The recruiting schedule will ramp up on the wrestling side beginning next month for Ross, who has already been contacted by over 20 major programs.

Ross is ranked in the Top-200 nationally overall in football. He is projected to be either a linebacker or edge rusher at the next level.

As a wrestler, Ross is rated in the Top-5 nationally for the Class of 2026. FloWrestling has him as the No. 2 overall 215-pound high schooler in the country.

The injury news will significantly alter the plans of the Fort Dodge football team moving forward. Ross was a first team all-state selection last fall – the first sophomore in program history to achieve such an honor – after starring as both a tailback and a linebacker for the Dodgers. Ross rushed for 729 yards and eight touchdowns in seven games at over six yards per carry, while recording a team-best 61.5 tackles and 11 tackles for loss on defense a year ago.

On the mat, Ross defended his state title with a 215-pound crown last February in Des Moines. He earned Class 3A most valuable wrestler honors and the Dan Gable Mr. Wrestler of the Year title in Iowa after finishing his sophomore campaign with a 47-0 record.

Ross was slated to visit Colorado Springs for the U17 World Team camp this month, followed by an international trip to Jordan for the U17 World Championships Aug. 24-25.

The 2024-25 prep wrestling season is a question mark for now. Ross could potentially return to action as early as December, but the recovery process may last well into February. Ross’s mother, Amy, confirmed his return date will all depend on when he is fully healed and cleared.