6 things to know about Colts third round pick Josh Downs from North Carolina

The Indianapolis Colts went with a wide receiver with its third-round pick on Friday.

Josh Downs out of the University of North Carolina was picked 79th overall. Earlier in the night, the Colts selected cornerback Julius Brents, a Warren Central High School graduate.

Here is what you should know about Downs:

Josh Downs' size

Downs is 5-9 and 171 pounds. The UNC alum is on the smaller side of wide receivers taken by general manager Chris Ballard. The first seven receivers drafted by Ballard averaged 6-3, 215 pounds. Parris Campbell was the smallest at 6-0, 208.

Josh Downs was a four-star prospect in high school

Coming out of North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.), Downs was a four-star prospect who was part of the Tar Heels' 2020 recruiting class. Over his sophomore and junior seasons, Downs pulled down a total of 100 catches for 1,643 yards and 18 receiving touchdowns.

Throughout his high school career, Downs caught 187 passes for 3,019 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was also selected to play in the 2020 All-American Bowl in San Antonio.

Josh Downs' stats at North Carolina

Downs played three seasons at UNC. During his junior year, he caught 94 passes for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns.

His sophomore year was just as productive with 101 receptions, 1,335 yards and 8 touchdowns. During his freshman season, Downs caught 7 passes for 119 yards and 3 touchdowns.

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Josh Downs' father Gary Downs and uncle Dre Bly played in the NFL

Downs comes from a line of successful football players.

His father, Gary Downs, played seven seasons in the NFL. He was picked in the third round (95th overall) by the New York Giants in the 1994 NFL Draft. Gary also played with the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons.

Josh Downs' uncle, Dre Bly, was picked in the second round (41st overall) by the St. Louis Rams in the 1999 NFL Draft. Bly was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and played 11 seasons with the Rams. He also played with the Detroit Lions, Broncos and San Francisco 49ers.

Josh's younger brother, Caleb, was a five-star safety recruit for the Class of 2023 and signed with Alabama.

Josh Downs' draft profile

Coming into the draft, Damian Parson of the Draft Network said Downs compares to the Seattle Seahawks' Tyler Lockett and the Washington Commanders' Jahan Dotson.

"Josh Downs is a dynamic and productive slot receiver. Downs has showcased the ability to win at all three levels of the defense. He is a crafty and sudden route-runner. Downs thrives off attacking the defensive back’s base and leverage. He uses sudden stops and starts that stress their coverage abilities. His oily hips are pivotal to his sharp change of direction skills. Downs excels in playing basketball on grass. He strings together quick and elusive moves to manipulate his opponent. Downs is great at alternating his speed and pace throughout the route stem. He uses a slow/delayed release versus off-coverage to lull defenders to sleep before shifting gears to fly past them.

The surprising aspect of Downs’ game is his effectiveness in contested-catch situations. He’s caught more than 72% of his contested-catch targets. He embodies the phrase “plays bigger than his size.” He does a good job attacking the ball at its highest point, even with his limited radius. Downs provide an offense with a quick passing option with dynamic run-after-the-catch skills.

Downs is one of those prospects that will not be for everyone. Those who prefer “traditional” height and weight measurements will not be fond of Downs. He lacks a large catch radius and frame. This is visible when facing physical coverage—he can be knocked off his route stem when contacted. There are not a large number of reps facing press alignment with bump-and-run coverage. This leaves questions on how advanced his release package is at this stage of his career. He is given ample free access to grass without immediate disruption. Downs does move all over the Tar Heels’ offense but they put him in advantageous positions pre-snap with multiple access points to space. As a result, he may be a slot-only candidate that needs those specific alignments for optimal chances of success.

Downs is not an ideal play-side run blocker. He does not have the play strength or frame to block second or third-level defenders with great effectiveness. Downs has dealt with drops over the last two seasons, too. This has to be cleaned up to earn and maintain the trust of NFL quarterbacks.

When drafting Downs, you are receiving a dynamic space player with plus-route running. Downs projects best as a slot receiver given a two-way go. He has a play style that fits the chain-mover model. I believe Downs would be a fantastic option/choice route option for an offense. His ceiling may be limited due to his size and frame but the floor is enticing."

Josh Downs' college highlights

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts: What to know about UNC third round pick Josh Downs