Josh Downs

WR

#1

Experience: 3 years

Height: 5-9

Age: 24

Weight: 171 lbs

College: North Carolina

2024 SEASON

REC

72
YDS

803
AVG

11.15
TDS

5

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Year

Season

Preseason

WK	Game Date	OPP	RESULT
3	08/23/2025	@Bengals	W 41 - 14
2	08/16/2025	Packers	L 19 - 23
1	08/07/2025	@Ravens	L 16 - 24

Biography

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:

Selected by the Colts in the third round (79th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft.

2024 SEASON (COLTS):

In 2024, he appeared in 14 games (eight starts) and recorded single-season career highs in receptions (72), receiving yards (803) and touchdowns (five). He also tallied one carry for 12 yards and returned 16 punts for 161 yards (10.1 avg.). In Week 4 vs. PIT, he led the team with eight receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown. In Week 5 at JAX, he tallied nine receptions for 69 yards. In Week 6 at TEN, he registered team highs in receptions (seven) and receiving yards (66) while also adding one touchdown. He also contributed four punt returns for a career-high 67 yards (16.8 avg.) It marked his third consecutive game with at least seven receptions and 65 receiving yards. In Week 8 at HOU, he collected four receptions for 109 yards and a career-long 69-yard touchdown reception. It marked his second career 100-yard game. In Week 10 vs. BUF, he registered a team-high seven receptions for 72 yards. In Week 11, he registered team highs in receptions (five), receiving yards (84) and receiving touchdowns (one). He eclipsed 60 receiving yards in seven of his last eight games and in five consecutive road contests. In Week 12 vs. DET, he registered three receptions for 27 yards. In Week 16 vs. TEN, he collected team highs in receptions (three), receiving yards (61) and receiving touchdowns (one). He passed Ray Butler (1,406) for the fifth-most receiving yards by a Colts player in their first two seasons. In Week 18 vs. JAX, he tallied team highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (94). His 10 receptions marked a single-game career high. He passed Marvin Harrison (137) for the most receptions by a Colts player in their first two seasons.

2023 SEASON (COLTS):

He played in all 17 games (nine starts) in 2023 and tallied 68 receptions for 771 yards and two touchdowns. His 68 receptions are the most receptions by a rookie in Colts history. In Week 1 vs. JAX, he made his first career start and totaled three receptions for 30 yards. In Week 3 at BAL, he collected eight receptions for 57 yards. In Week 4 vs. LAR, he collected two receptions for 34 yards, including a 30-yard reception from Anthony Richardson. In Week 5 vs. TEN, he hauled in six receptions for a career-high 97 yards. In Week 6 at JAX, he hauled in five receptions for 21 yards and his first career touchdown. In Week 7 vs. CLE, he totaled five receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown. Downs tallied a 59-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, which is the longest reception by a Colts rookie since Donte Moncrief (79) in 2014 and he became the first Indianapolis rookie wide receiver to tally a receiving touchdown in consecutive games since T.Y. Hilton (Weeks 11 and 12 of 2012). It was his first career 100-yard receiving game. In Week 8 vs. NO, he hauled in seven receptions for 72 yards. In Week 17 vs. LV, he registered two receptions for 53 yards. In Week 18 vs, HOU, he registered three receptions for 48 yards. He passed Bill Brooks (65 in 1986) for the most receptions by a Colts rookie.

COLLEGE:

Played in 34 career games (23 starts) at North Carolina (2020-22) and compiled 202 receptions for 2,483 yards and 22 touchdowns. In program history, finished second in touchdown receptions, third in receptions and fourth in receiving yards. One of two players in Carolina history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Earned First Team All-ACC honors in each of his last two seasons.
In 2022, he started 11 games and finished with 94 receptions for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns. Earned First Team All-ACC honors and was named a Pro Football Focus First Team All-America choice. Also garnered Second Team All-America honors from The Associated Press, FWAA and Phil Steele. He led the ACC in receptions (94), receiving yards (1,029), receptions per game (8.5) and receiving yards per game (93.5) and finished second in the country in receptions per game, seventh in touchdown receptions and 11th in receiving yards per game. He became the third player in North Carolina history to compile over 90 catches in a season and had the fourth-most receiving touchdowns in program history in a single season.
Earned First-Team All-ACC honors after he played in all 13 games (12 starts) in 2021 and registered 101 receptions for 1,335 yards and eight touchdowns. Set the North Carolina single-season record for catches (101) and receiving yards (1,335). Led the ACC in receptions, while finishing second in receiving yards and seventh in all-purpose yards per game (114.2). Finished third in the ACC and 13th nationally in average punt return yards (9.8). In his first collegiate start, he recorded eight receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown at Virginia Tech.
As a true freshman in 2020, he saw action in 10 games and tallied seven receptions for 119 yards and three touchdowns. He tallied a career-long 75-yard receiving touchdown in the Orange Bowl against Texas A&M.

PERSONAL:

Attended North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga.
Rated as a four-star prospect, the nation's 17th ranked player and the 13th ranked player in Georgia by 247Sports.
Recorded 187 receptions for 3,019 yards and 32 touchdowns over his final three seasons.
Named First Team All-State and All-County.
Helped lead North Gwinnett to a 14-1 record and a 7A state championship as a sophomore.
Also competed in basketball and track and field.
Finished third in the state triple jump and fourth in long jump.
In 2023, he participated in Beyond the Sidelines as a Colts community initiative in support of Kicking the Stigma.
Participated in the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative and represented Back on My Feet (2023).
His father, Gary Downs, played seven seasons in the NFL after being selected by the New York Giants in the third round (95th overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft. He spent time with the Giants (1994, 1996), Denver Broncos (1995) and Atlanta Falcons (1997-2000).
His uncle, Dre' Bly, was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round (41st overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played 11 seasons with the Rams (1999-02), Detroit Lions (2003-06), Denver Broncos (2007-08) and San Francisco 49ers (2009). Was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2003, 2004). He currently serves as the assistant defensive backs coach for the New York Jets.
His older sister Kameron played collegiate soccer at Kennesaw State (2017-21) and his younger brother Caleb was a five-star safety recruit in the class of 2023 and played for Alabama (2023) before transferring to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season.
A native of Suwanee, Ga.

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