Josh Downs

Position:
Wide Receiver
Height:
5-10.25
Weight:
175
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Suwanee, Ga.
High School:
North Gwinnett

Career
Finished his career with 2,483 yard receiving, the fourth-highest total in Carolina lore • Had 22 career touchdown receptions, second-most in school history • One of three players in UNC history with over 200 career receptions, finishing third on the school’s all-time list with 202 • One of two players in Carolina history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

PFF First-Team All-American (2022)
AP, FWAA, Phil Steele Second-Team All-American (2022)
First-Team All-ACC (2021, '22)
Second-Team All-ACC (All-Purpose) (2022)

2022 - Junior Season
Started all 11 games he appeared in • PFF first-team All-America • Tabbed second-team All-America by AP, FWAA and Phil Steele • First-team All-ACC • Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist • ACC Receiver of the Week (11/7, 11/14) • Led the ACC in receptions (94), yards receiving (1029), receptions per game (8.5) and yards receiving per game (93.5) • Ranked second in the FBS in receptions per game, seventh in touchdown receptions and 11^th in in receiving yards per game • Third player at UNC with over 90 catches in a season • His 11 touchdown grabs were the second-most in the ACC and fourth-most in UNC history • Finished the season with over 1,000 yards receiving for the second consecutive season (1,029) • Had a team-high nine receptions for 78 yards and two receiving TDs in the season opener against FAMU • Returned from a two-game absence and scored twice and had five catches for 32 yards against Notre Dame • Had 120 receiving yards on eight receptions against Virginia Tech • Had a team-high six receptions for 69 yards and a TD at Miami • Came up with nine catches for 126 yards at Duke • Equaled his career high with 11 catches for 102 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns against Pitt • Also returned a punt for 23 yards against the Panthers • Had a career-high 15 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown at Virginia • Had 11 receptions for 154 yards and three touchdowns at Wake Forest • Had three catches for 31 yards against Georgia Tech • Had six catches for 51 yards against NC State • Caught 11 passes for 100 yards in the ACC Championship game against Clemson.

2021 - Sophomore Season
Appeared in all 13 games and started 12 games at wide receiver and punt returner • First team All-ACC • Named PFF First team All-ACC • Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist • ACC Receiver of the Week (9/20, 10/4, 10/18) • PFF Offensive Player of the Week (9/20) • Had eight or more catches in 11 of 13 games • Had a streak of scoring a TD in eight-straight games, one short of the school record of nine set by UNC legend Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice in 1947-48 • Set program records with 101 receptions and 1,335 receiving yards this season • Led the ACC and ranked fifth nationally in receptions • Was second in the league and 11th nationally in receiving yards • Seventh in the ACC with 114.2 all-purpose yards per game • Third in the ACC (13th nationally) averaging 9.8 yards per punt return • Third nationally with 754 yards after catch and 11th nationally with first downs • Made first collegiate start and had eight catches for 123 yards and scored a 37-yard touchdown in season opener at Virginia Tech • Had eight grabs for 73 yards and a TD against Georgia Tech • Earned ACC Receiver of the Week honors after recording a career-high 203 receiving yards against Virginia, the eighth most in program history, and had two receiving touchdowns from 59 and 37 yards in the first quarter • Named PFF National Offensive Player of the Week after earning a 93.2 receiving grade, the best single-game performance by a UNC receiver in the PFF College era • Had eight catches for 53 yards and a receiving TD at Georgia Tech • Named ACC Receiver of the Week after posting eight catches for 168 yards and a season-long 63 yard TD against Duke • Hauled in nine catches for 121 yards and a touchdown and returned a pair of punts for 22 yards against Florida State • Set a new career high with 11 receptions for 96 yards and scored a receiving TD for the eighth game in a row against Miami • Had 10 catches for 142 yards at Notre Dame • Caught four balls for 35 yards and had one punt return for 22 yards against Wake Forest • Came up with eight catches for 95 yards at Pittsburgh • Made eight catches for 89 yards and returned two punts for six yards against Wofford • Had eight catches for 75 yards at NC State • Notched three catches for 62 yards against South Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.

2020 - True Freshman Season

Appeared in 10 games during his true freshman season • Had seven catches for 119 yards and three receiving touchdowns • Had one catch for one yard in collegiate debut against Syracuse • Scored his first collegiate TD against NC State, a 17-yard grab against the Wolfpack • Had one catch for 10 yards against No. 2 Notre Dame • Set season highs with four catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns in the Orange Bowl against Texas A&M • Had a 75-yard TD against the Aggies.

North Gwinnett High School

An early enrollee who is a four-star prospect listed as the nation’s No. 94 player, the nation’s 17th-ranked wide receiver and the No. 13 player in Georgia in the 247Sports Composite • Ranked as the nation’s 53rd-ranked player, the ninth-ranked wide receiver and the No. 9 player in the state according to Rivals • Tabbed as the nation’s No. 188 player, the 28th-best wide receiver and the state’s No. 21 player according to ESPN • A member of the ESPN300 • Invited to play in the All-American Bowl • Tallied 187 receptions for 3,019 yards and 32 TDs over his final three prep seasons • Led North Gwinnett to a 12-2 record and a berth in the 7A state semifinals as a senior • A first-team all-state and an all-county selection • Caught 83 passes for 1,290 yards and 14 TDs • Also threw a TD pass • Helped the Bulldogs to a 10-3 record and a spot in the third round of the 7A state playoffs as a junior • Made 37 receptions for 624 yards and nine TDs • Was a major piece of a North Gwinnett team that went 14-1 and won the 7A state championship as a sophomore • Hauled in 63 passes for 1,019 yards and nine TDs • Also competed in basketball as a freshman and track and field as a freshman and sophomore • Finished third in the state triple jump and fourth in the long jump • Coached by David Dunn.

Personal

Son of Gary and Tanya Downs • Birthday is Aug. 12.