Josiah Deguara Overview
Position: Tight End
Height: 6’-2”
Weight: 242 pounds
School: Cincinnati
NFL Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 4.72 seconds
Bench Press: 25 reps
Vertical Jump: 35.5”
Broad Jump: 115.0”
3 Cone Drill: 7.15 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.35 seconds
Josiah Deguara 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After five years at Cincinnati, tight end Josiah Deguara is looking to take his game to the professional level. The graduate is coming off of the best season of his young career, recording 39 receptions on 71 targets for 504 yards and seven touchdowns on 782 snaps. All of these represent career-highs, and they could have been much better if it weren’t for an underwhelming quarterback situation.
Deguara initially entered the collegiate ranks as a two-star prospect. A three-sport athlete in high school, Deguara only received two offers to play football and ended up choosing Cincinnati. The California native spent the majority of his first three seasons riding the bench before breaking out in 2018. During that campaign, Deguara recorded 38 receptions on 59 targets for 488 yards and five touchdowns.
Strengths
- Solid route runner with subtle nuance to throw off defenders;
- Above-average run blocker, plays well above his size in the trenches;
- High-motor guy that never takes a play off;
- Fluid mover with the ability to navigate in traffic and find soft spots in the defense;
- Would have had much better production with improved quarterback play;
- Gets to the second level with regularity to spring big runs.
Weaknesses
- Smaller frame means his blocking prowess might not carry to the NFL;
- Objectively bad in contested catch situations;
- 7th percentile arm length means he will have a hard time engaging blocks;
- Looks more like a wide receiver than a tight end when running routes;
- Inconsistent hands, sometimes uses his body to make catches.
NFL Comparison: Lance Kendricks
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins
Projection: Round 4/5
Bottom Line on Josiah Deguara
Josiah Deguara is not the player you imagine when you think of a conventional tight end. While he is one of the better run blockers in the class, he doesn’t win by being a big, glorified offensive lineman. Instead, Deguara managed to make a difference in the run game by using his fundamentals and understanding of leverage to push around bigger defenders. He’s no slouch in as a pass-catcher, either, as Deguara possesses developed route-running skills that should let him contribute relatively early into his career. Essentially, he’s more of an H-back than a true tight end.
The H-back is valuable in today’s NFL, but Deguara faces a few challenges to succeed at the professional level. While he was one of the best run blockers in college, there is some serious question as to whether or not he can hold up to NFL strength. Deguara is undersized for the position, and perfect technique might not be enough against this advanced level of competition. As a receiver, Deguara moves more like a wide receiver in that he struggled to win in contested situations and can be overmatched by contact. He probably won’t be anything more than a solid backup, but there is a role for a player like this.
Main photo:
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