The 2023 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Josh Downs 2023 NFL Draft Profile.
Position: Wide Receiver
School: North Carolina
Size: 5-foot-9, 171 pounds
Class: Junior
2022 Stats: 94 receptions, 1,029 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns, 10.9 yards per reception
Downs had two really good seasons at North Carolina to put him on the map as an NFL Draft prospect. He is now in the 2023 NFL Draft.
After being rated four-stars as a recruit out of Georgia, Downs signed on at North Carolina. He got his feet wet in his freshman season with seven catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns. His role improved in 2021, as he had 101 receptions for 1,335 yards and eight touchdowns. The Tar Heels had a 6-7 record that season. In 2022, Downs had 94 receptions for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns. His play helped North Carolina go 9-5 and make the Holiday Bowl.
After opting out of the Holiday Bowl, Downs declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a projected day-two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
His athleticism is good for the position. He has good long speed, which shows up on tape and also was confirmed at the NFL Combine. To go with his speed, he also has good quickness and agility. His size is limited, so the fact that he is a good athlete is very important.
Downs is great with the ball in his hands as he runs after the catch well. He shows good vision and can pick up maximum yardage before contact. His ability to use his quickness, speed and agility lets him take ordinary catches all the way to the end zone for big plays. He is elusive in the open field, which is why he was asked to be a returner as well.
There are parts of his route running that needs work, but he is able to create separation. He has good speed and agility to make quick cuts. Downs gets in and out of his breaks quickly which makes it hard for him to cover.
Downs is undersized for the wide receiver. He is 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds, which is well below the average for NFL receivers. Downs has limited play strength due to his size. He also has a limited catch radius. Downs may be moved to the slot at the NFL level, due to him not being big enough to play outside.
While he normally has good hands and can even make contested catches pretty well for a player his size, Downs does struggle with focus drops. He needs to make sure he looks the ball all the way in before he turns upfield and tries to utilize his ability to run after the catch.
As mentioned, Downs shows that he can run routes well, but there are some inconsistencies. There are times when he rounds off routes or doesn’t finish the play. If he brings the same intensity on every route, he should be able to make his route running even better.
Projected Draft Range: Second Round Pick-Third Round Pick
Draft Grade: Second-Round Pick
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