11:00 AM ET
Pete ThamelESPN
Two-time All-ACC wide receiver Josh Downs is leaving North Carolina for the NFL, helium told ESPN.
Downs is the No. 4-rated wide receiver successful the upcoming draft, according to ESPN NFL draught expert Todd McShay, making him 1 of the apical receiving prospects disposable for NFL teams.
Downs had back-to-back seasons of much than 1,000 yards receiving for the Tar Heels and caught 22 vocation touchdown passes. In conscionable 3 seasons astatine UNC, helium roseate to No. 4 connected the school's all-time receiving database (2,483) and No. 2 successful touchdown catches.
He volition not play successful the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl against Oregon.
Downs said helium came to the determination aft speaking with his father, Gary Downs, who is simply a erstwhile NFL subordinate who is an adjunct manager astatine East Tennessee State, and his coaches astatine North Carolina.
"I decided to instrumentality it to the adjacent level and state for the NFL draft," helium told ESPN.
Downs said he's assured that he's the "best wide receiver successful the draft" and encouraged evaluators to excavation into his film.
"I conscionable consciousness similar erstwhile you crook connected the tape, I consistently triumph implicit and implicit and marque plays with the shot erstwhile it comes my way," helium said.
Downs is listed connected his UNC bio astatine 5-foot-10½ and 175 pounds and his closest NFL comp volition beryllium erstwhile Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Downs said he's assured helium tin play some wrong and retired successful the NFL. He said he'll commencement grooming soon astatine EXOS and volition caput determination full-time aft the holidays.
"I'm excited to amusement my existent velocity successful the 40," helium said. "I'm going to tally a 4.3. I'll enactment my sanction connected it close now."
Downs credits his father's NFL vocation for "jump-starting" his ain vocation and feels honored for the accidental to travel him to the league.
"I grew up bragging connected my dada playing successful the NFL," helium said. "He was my relation model. Of people I wanted to bash the aforesaid thing."
An NFL scout who studied Downs called him the champion draft-eligible "prospect successful the authorities of North Carolina this year." He said Downs' versatility connected peculiar teams returning punts for UNC makes him much attractive.
"He's not big, but he's muscled up," the scout said. "He's got capable thickness to him. He's speedy arsenic a cat, tin get unfastened and tin beryllium a dynamic playmaker with the ball. All these NFL receivers are specified playmakers now, it's changed the mode that teams look astatine the position."
Downs caught balls astatine UNC from 2 of the astir productive quarterbacks successful assemblage shot -- Sam Howell and Drake Maye, who is expected to beryllium a apical prime successful the 2024 draft. Downs said helium chose to play for Mack Brown astatine North Carolina due to the fact that of precocious departed coordinator Phil Longo's dynamic discourtesy and the mode it passed the ball. He complimented Longo's creativity to determination him astir and get him the ball.
He said helium feels fortunate to person had 2 large quarterbacks assistance him showcase his skills. At his adjacent stop, Downs said 1 trait volition specify him.
"I consciousness similar I'm the hardest idiosyncratic successful America," helium said, "and nary 1 is going to outwork me."
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