The Heels are officially the hottest team on the 2020 recruiting trail following Wednesday afternoon’s commitment from another one of 2020’s top prospects. 2020 4✮ Josh Downs announced his commitment to Carolina via Twitter just after 2:30. His commitment comes following his second visit in a week to Chapel Hill and means he will join his uncle, cornerbacks coach Dre Bly, as part of the family legacy at Carolina.
Downs will be entering his senior season at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, GA, the same high school that current Tar Heel quarterback Cade Fortin attended. As a junior, Downs led North Gwinnett in receiving with 37 receptions for 624 yards and nine touchdowns. His sophomore season was the most productive of his high school thus far, as he caught 63 passes for 1,019 yards and nine touchdowns for a team that went on to win the GHSAA AAAAAAA state championship.
Downs will bring an open field playmaker with top end speed to the table for the Heels when he arrives to campus. Downs consistently beats corners over the top, showcasing his phenomenal straight line speed. He has the route running ability that will make him an immediate threat out of the slot and weapon on third downs, and he has reliable hands that allow him to catch just about anything that is catch. His ability to make defenders miss in the open field allows him to make plays after the catch, something he’s seen doing constantly on tape. There is a good reason that Tar Heel fans are extremely excited about this commitment.
With Downs’ Wednesday commitment, the Heels currently have six players committed to the 2020 class, four of which are 4✮ prospects. The class remains in the same spots in the 247sports team rankings as they were in prior to the commitment, 13th in the overall rankings and 4th in the ACC.