2023 NFL Draft: Week 0 Prospects to Watch
Florida A&M at North Carolina 8:15 PM ET (ACC Network)
This will be head coach Mack Brown’s fourth year back at North Carolina. Expectations were high last year, and the Tar Heels faltered, losing multiple winnable games early in the season. They had high hopes due to their stud quarterback Sam Howell, but he disappointed and the team finished 6-7 with a loss to South Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
However, Mack Brown is a terrific recruiter as evidenced by his back-to-back top-15 recruiting classes in 2021 and 2022, so it is not all bad in Chapel Hill. Here are a couple of Tar Heels that should hear their names called in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
Josh Downs exploded onto the scene last year when he recorded 101 catches for 1,338 yards and eight touchdowns. He was one of the best receivers in the ACC last season and finished second in the conference in receiving yards behind Biletnikoff Award winner, Jordan Addison. Josh Downs was a four-star recruit who joined the Tar Heels to play with Sam Howell.
He’s an elite-level athlete, recording a 40-yard dash of 4.47 seconds and a vertical leap of almost 42 inches. He was a track star in high school as well, participating in both the triple jump and the long jump. But, Josh Downs is a receiver that’s more than just his physical tools. Downs is small at 5’10” and 180 pounds, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
He can operate out of the slot because he can get in and out of his breaks quickly. Josh Downs is nimble and has shown good short area burst in addition to his long range speed. He’s a nightmare for defenses when he has the ball in his hands, as he’s a threat to take it the distance any time he touches it.
In the film I reviewed, North Carolina used Downs on slant patterns, and tunnel screens in addition to some over-the-top deep shots. He even averaged 9.8 yards per punt return on 16 returns. More than once, I saw Josh Downs make highlight reel catches where he laid out and dove to catch the ball just before it hit the ground.
He’s got good instincts as a receiver and has exceptional hands. Guys that are as fast as Josh Downs with his level of technical skill typically don’t last very long in the draft. With an excellent season, Josh Downs has a chance to be picked in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Tony Grimes, CB, North Carolina
It’s impossible to talk about North Carolina’s Tony Grimes without mentioning his recruiting rankings. Grimes was the No. 1 recruit in the state of Virginia and the third-ranked cornerback recruit in the country in 2020. He’s got the size (6’1”, 197 pounds) and the length to matchup well with number one receivers at the next level. He plays big too.
Grimes had 36 solo tackles last year for the Tar Heels in addition to nine passes defended. He’s a physical player that will be able to play press man on the outside, which isn’t something a lot of college corners can say. Grimes has shown flashes of elite coverage skills. He excels at sticking with the receiver and staying in his hip pocket all throughout the route.
His physicality extends to the catch point, as he’s shown the ability to get vertical and break up jump balls thrown against man-to-man coverage. His NFL length helps him there, too. Tony Grimes doesn’t have elite pass breakup or interception numbers because opposing quarterbacks were often avoiding him last season.
Like any young player, Grimes could hone his ball skills and tighten up his footwork a bit, specifically when he’s transitioning out of his back pedal. If he has another solid season, Tony Grimes’ ceiling is the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. This should showcase how much talent is currently present on the Tar Heel roster.