The Indianapolis Colts exited Friday’s portion of the 2023 NFL draft with an exciting and explosive player in North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs.
The No. 79 overall pick, Downs should be able to compete for a starting role as the slot receiver right away while Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce work on the outside.
Here are seven things to know about the North Carolina product and Georgia native:
1
Athletic family, NFL ties
Downs comes from an NFL family. His father, Gary, played in the NFL for seven seasons as a running back. His uncle, Dre Bly, played 11 seasons in the NFL as a safety. Bly is currently the cornerbacks coach for the Detroit Lions while Gary is the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator for East Tennessee State. Downs’ younger brother, Caleb, was a five-star safety recruit in the 2023 class at Alabama. His older sister, Kameron, played soccer at Kennesaw State.
2
Elite production
Production was not an issue for Downs at North Carolina. He led the ACC in receptions in both 2021 (101) and 2022 (94). In his two seasons as a starter, Downs recorded 195 receptions for 2,364 yards and 19 touchdowns.
3
Another strong athlete
The only thing holding Downs from being a first-round pick is his size, He measured in at 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds. But he posted elite numbers in the vertical (38.5 inches) and broad jump (10’11”). He also posted a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.51 seconds. He also crushed the short shuttle (4.15) and three-cone drills (6.75).
4
Slot only?
Downs has the route running nuance to play on the outside if the Colts need him to, but he doesn’t have a lot of experience on the line of scrimmage. The Colts are likely to bring him in as the starting slot option thanks to his innate ability to create separation and make plays with the ball in his hands.
5
Reggie Wayne is a big fan
In speaking to reporters Friday after being drafted, Downs recalled his new wide receivers coach in Reggie Wayne raving about him at the NFL combine back in March.
“At the (NFL) Combine, I remember after I got done running my routes Reggie Wayne came up to me and he said it’s not even close and he told me I was the best receiver there in my group, and I had first-round guys in that group as well. I’m not going to name any names. But it’s been a good process. I met with Reggie Wayne a few weeks ago and he told me I’m explosive and he loves to see me play. It’s time to go. I talked to the GM and he said they’ve been looking at me and Anthony Richardson the whole time and it came to fruition. I’m very grateful to the organization and I thank God for this opportunity.”
6
Carson Wentz trade
The Colts used the No. 79 overall pick on Downs, a selection they received as a part of the Carson Wentz trade during the 2022 offseason.
7
Chris Ballard tried trading up
General manager Chris Ballard said Friday night after Day 2 of the draft concluded that they tried to trade up for 30 minutes so they could take Downs. Fortunately, he fell to them at No. 79.
“Being able to get Josh Downs, that was a bonus. We really didn’t expect him to be there. We actually tried to move up for about 30 minutes to try and get him and we just couldn’t get up, but really excited about him,” Ballard said. “Actually, Chad Henry and Morocco (Brown) spoke glowingly about not only his talent, but the character of the young man. He’s a really good fit. He gives us a need, gives us an inside. We think he can play inside and outside. But he’s fast, smart, great with the ball after the catch, really high character. Probably one of the best phone calls I think I’ve had since I’ve been here making a call – emotional, excited. You can tell he’s got a little chip on him.”
