Josh Downs, WR North Carolina: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Downs was a four-star recruit from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga. in the class of 2020

Josh Downs emerged as one of college football’s most productive wide receivers in 2021. He finished fifth in receptions and tenth in receiving yards, joining superstars Jordan Addison and Jaxon Smith-Njigba among an elite group of five wide receivers to earn top-ten finishes in both categories.

Expectations are high for Downs as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect. Let’s take a deeper look at his skill set and projection to the pros.

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Josh Downs, WR North Carolina: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior slot receiver from Suwanee, Ga.

Background: Downs was a four-star recruit from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 95 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 53 for Rivals, and No. 66 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 188th in the nation with an 82 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, Downs tallied 83 receptions for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2017, Downs caught 63 passes for 1,019 yards and nine touchdowns on his way to winning a 7A state championship. He was invited to the All-American Bowl. Downs also participated in basketball as a freshman and track and field as a freshman and sophomore. He finished third in the state triple jump and fourth in the long jump.

2021 Production: 13 games, 101 receptions, 1,335 yards, 8 touchdowns + 16 punt returns, 156 yards

2020 Production: 10 games, 7 receptions, 119 yards, 3 touchdowns

Injuries & Off-Field: Underwent an offseason lower body procedure in 2021

Awards: 2021 First-Team All-ACC, 2021 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist

Pros: Significant special teams experience, varies route tempo, good burst to gain chunk yardage on screens, patient route runner, acceleration leads to YAC in the open field, uses stutter and rocker steps heavily to set up defensive backs, good combination of shiftiness and speed, linear burst and speed leave defenders behind, capable of making sharp cuts with and without the football, active feet, natural separator, varied release package, wins at all three levels

Cons: Double-digit drops in 2021, not a factor in contested catch situations, predominantly fed targets on screens or within ten yards of the line of scrimmage, small frame, catch radius, lacks the play strength to sustain blocks or frequently break tackles, doesn’t offer much resistance as a blocker, low average depth of target, elusive and fast but not twitchy, route running isn’t always crisp, doesn’t make defenders miss tackles at a high rate, slot-only who rarely faced press coverage, he and Sam Howell had several miscommunications in 2021, defensive backs can smother him at the line if their initial punch makes contact

Overview: Downs is unofficially listed at 5'10 1/4", 171 lbs. He has the acceleration and speed to generate big plays and natural separation. North Carolina’s offense allowed Downs to showcase his YAC ability in 2021 because of a large diet of screens and slants. However, the offense also prevented Downs from displaying his total route running potential. When unleashed in a more conventional offense, Downs should threaten defenses at all three levels and become one of the sport’s better route runners. He mixes in plenty of varied steps and tempo in his releases and routes to lull defenders, which creates plenty of room for him to operate. Downs’ frame creates significant limitations as a blocker, and he struggles to break tackles and win in contested catch situations.

Overall, Downs is a speedy potential future route technician who only plays in the slot because of his small frame. Downs isn’t twitchy, but he has game-changing speed and the ability to win at all levels. He won’t fit every NFL team’s needs, but Downs has some unteachable traits that should make him one of the league’s more dynamic slot receivers.

Role & Scheme Fit: Slot receiver in an 11 personnel heavy scheme

Round Projection: Late First to Mid Second

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 07-05-22