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2023 NFL Draft: Josh Downs Scouting Report

After spending the past three seasons at North Carolina, Josh Downs is taking his game to the professional level in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Josh Downs NFL Draft

Josh Downs NFL Draft Overview
Position
: Wide Receiver
Height: 5′-10″
Weight: 175 pounds
School: North Carolina

More 2023 NFL Draft Profiles

Josh Downs 2023 NFL Draft Profile

After spending the past three seasons with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Josh Downs has decided to forego his remaining eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. The wide receiver chose a good time to go pro, as he’s coming off of a fantastic 2022 where he caught 94 receptions for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns on 116 targets.

Josh Downs originally joined the college football world in 2020. After a slow freshman season, the wideout broke out in a big way during his Sophomore season. Seeing the field for 845 snaps, Downs finished the campaign with 101 receptions for 1,335 yards and eight touchdowns on 144 targets.

Strengths

  • Incredibly agile – cornerbacks will have a hard time following him on cuts;
  • One of the best route runners in the class – can get open against a variety of coverages;
  • Smart player with a knack for finding the holes in zone coverage;
  • 87th percentile breakout age, 97th percentile college target share;
  • Early declare – knows he can be drafted highly without an extra year of tape;
  • Reliable hands – very few drops on tape;
  • Doesn’t shy away from contact – not afraid to take a hit.

Weaknesses

  • Exclusively a slot receiver – lacks the size to consistently line up wide;
  • Lacks breakaway speed – cornerbacks and safeties can catch up to him in the open field;
  • Doesn’t force many missed tackles;
  • Not a big threat after the catch;
  • Too small to block NFL defenders, which is a problem for slot receivers.

NFL Comparison: Danny Amendola

Teams With Need At Position: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots

Projection: Rounds 2-3

Bottom Line on Josh Downs

Josh Downs will probably never be a great player, but he can definitely be a good one. The most important thing any wide receiver can do is catch passes and get open, and Downs did both of those things at a routine basis during his time at North Carolina.

He’s already an above-average route runner, and he could easily turn into one of the best in the league with the right coaching. He can beat man, zone, and press coverages and has a knack for finding the open space in zone coverages and the scramble drill. From an analytical standpoint, his early declare status, target share, and impressive breakout age all imply that he will find some level of success at the professional level.

As with all prospects, there are some negatives that accompany Downs. For one, he lacks the size and speed to line up wide, so he’ll have to make a living in the slot. Generally, the best slot receivers are the ones with quick feet that can get open within two seconds and turn five-yard gains into 12-yard pickups.

Downs has the amazing feet and separation ability, but he lacks the skills after the catch. The North Carolina product has pedestrian speed and doesn’t break too many tackles, so he’s not going to turn small gains into big ones. Additionally, he’s going to be a player more in the mold of Danny Amendola, rather than Anquan Boldin, which means that he’s not going to provide much as a blocker and won’t box out too many linebackers and safeties on contested passes.

Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – USA Today Sports

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