By: Michael Higgins

School: North Carolina (Junior)

Position: WR

HT: 5’10

WT: 171 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #57

Josh Downs is a shift receiver who was used in a variety of ways at North Carolina. Downs was a 4-star recruit out of Georgia and could choose any school he wanted. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school, he is a freak athlete and it shows on the tape.

Downs has rare speed that can take the top off of the defense. Josh Downs was the North Carolina main weapon throughout his career there and they got very creative in the ways he was utilized. Downs can be seen lining up anywhere on the field from the slot, either boundary, and even lining up in the backfield. His speed makes him a weapon in a variety of sets and packages. Downs is best used in plenty of pre-snap motion where he can use his legs to keep a defense guessing and on edge. While many teams could end up viewing Downs as a slot receiver, his route tree is much more advanced than that of a typical slot receiver due to North Carolina moving him all over the field in different types of alignments. Downs is also an elite technician on his routes, he has great footwork and uses his combination of speed and sharp route running to stack corners and get open. Downs has been used as a reliable and consistent redzone threat during his time at North Carolina. While he is smaller in stature, he has come down with plenty of contested catches in traffic when his team is in the red zone. Downs has a lethal whip route that he uses in close yardage situations, he seemingly gets open with that route every time.

Downs does have some negatives to his game that have held him back from being one of those top tier wide receivers in this class. To start, his height is not of huge concern, but it is worth mentioning. There are several smaller players that have found a path to success in the league, but size is always a plus and Downs lacks that. Due to his size, Downs is absolutely rancid in run blocking. He just gets tossed around when contact is made, physical cornerbacks will have no problem getting around him. Those corners will also have an easy time bumping Downs off his routes and messing up his timing with the quarterback. While he had a few nice grabs, Downs proved to have a problem with drops this past season, his hands were not very consistent.

Josh Downs will prove to be a nice Day Two target for teams who are looking for a gadget player that can be put anywhere on the field with an extensive route tree. Many of his issues with drops and trouble against press man coverage can be hidden or helped with proper coaching. Finding a pro-level scheme that highlights Downs’s strengths will be of importance as he can thrive when used properly.

Scheme Fit: Spread Offense 11-personnel

Ideal Role: Z Receiver

Best Team Fits: BUF, BAL, NYG

Player Comparison: Deebo Samuel

Player Grade: 78.4