Josh Downs 2023 Dynasty Rookie Profile
Position: WR
School: North Carolina
Class: Junior
Date of Birth: August 12, 2001
Height: 5-9 Weight: 171 lbs
Athletic Testing
40-Time: 4.48
Speed Score: 80.2
Vertical: 38.5”
Broad: 10’11”
Shuttle:
3-Cone:
Bio
Josh Downs was a three-sport athlete at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee Georgia where he starred in football, basketball, and track. In fact, on top of multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons on the gridiron, Downs finished third in the state triple jump and fourth in the long jump while timing out at 4.47 in the 40 and reaching 42 inches in the vertical.
But it was football that was in his blood. His father was drafted in the third round of the 1994 draft and played running back in the NFL for seven seasons. His uncle, Dré Bly, was a second round pick and pro bowl cornerback who played in the league for 11 years. But Downs was a talented athlete in his own right and was recruited nationally as a four-star player and 17th-ranked wide receiver in the country. He received offers from Tennessee, Arkansas, Penn State, South Carolina, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Michigan, and Ohio State, among others. But with Bly working at North Carolina as a cornerbacks coach, Downs opted to join the Tar Heels.
Downs was buried on an offense full of NFL-caliber talent as a freshman with Dyami Brown, Dazz Newsome, Javonte Williams, and Michael Carter all commanding opportunities ahead of him. He finished the season with just seven receptions for 119 yards and three touchdowns. With the aforementioned stars departing for the NFL in 2021, Downs got his shot to be the guy in his sophomore campaign. Operating Sam Howell’s top weapon, Downs caught 101 passes for 1,335 yards and eight scores. Downs earned first-team All-ACC honors after leading the conference in receptions.
Downs followed up his breakout season by catching 94 balls for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns despite working with a new quarterback. He was again the ACC’s leader in receptions and earned first-team all-conference for the second-straight season. Downs was also a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
College Stats
Josh Downs College Stats Courtesy of sports-reference
Positives
+Age-19 Breakout
+Can win on all three levels
+Plays bigger than his size
+Contested catches: 72% contested catch rate (PFF)
+YAC; No.3 in the nation in yards after catch (PFF)
+Excellent route-runner
+Speed
+8.5 receptions per game
+3.5 yards per team pass attempt in 2021
+26 career punt returns
Negatives
–Under-sized
-Limited catch radius
-Can struggle vs physical defenders
-Limited opportunities vs press
-May be limited to slot duties in the NFL
-Drops
-One career rush attempt
Highlight Reel
Archetype: Slot WR
Best Comparable Player: Tyler Lockett
Draft Projection: Early Second Round
Bottom Line:
Josh Downs is a dynamic player out of the slot. While he’s an excellent route-runner, he’s not boxed into the typical move-the-chains slot receiver mold. He’s more of the Tyler Lockett or Jahan Dotson type—someone who can make plays in the open field and threaten defenses with a bit of speed and explosion both before and after the catch. With that said, he will be best used inside where he can avoid physical press coverage. Downs projects as an early second round pick in the NFL draft and could push his way into the back-end of the first in single-quarterback dynasty rookie drafts if he lands in the right situation.
Resources: DLF, PlayerProfiler, PFN, PFF, TDN
RANKINGS | DYNASTY |
