Dontay Demus Jr. NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Maryland WR

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 212

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 34 1/4"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.57

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: 4.39

VERTICAL: 35 1/2"

BROAD: 10'3"

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POSITIVES

— Great size and play strength. Can hold like a real "X" receiver.

— Good at fighting through contact as a route-runner and creating space with physicality.

— Very good ball location and adjustment skills. Finds and bends to the ball well.

— Very good hands in traffic. Consistently hangs on through traffic and big hits.

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NEGATIVES

— Below-average speed. Can win downfield via contested catches but won't separate much.

— Poor flexibility and change of direction. Struggles to drop his hips and redirect on routes.

— Average at best with the ball in his hands. Not dynamic; strength is nice but not overwhelming.

— 2022 film is much worse than 2021.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 22 REC, 233 YDS (10.6 AVG), 1 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: September 26, 2000

— 3-star recruit in 2018 class, per 247 Sports' composite ratings

— 35 career starts

— Suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2021 that required surgery

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OVERALL

Dontay Demus Jr. is a talented, big-bodied receiver who has lost some of his athleticism since suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2021.

Demus fits the bill of a classic "X" receiver. He has both the frame and the play strength to thrive in physical settings. Whether it's at the line, throughout a route or at the catch point, he does an excellent job of leveraging his length and strength to make room for himself. He's difficult to bully off his spots and more often than not has the strength to finish tough catches.

Demus also has intriguing ball skills. Made better by his long arms, he shows great ball-tracking skills and the ability to effortlessly mold his body to what the situation calls for. He does well catching balls outside of his frame, over his head and even on a tight sideline. Demus' hands are also quite reliable, and he does well to bring these tough passes in, not just get his hands on them.

Unfortunately, Demus did not look like the same athlete in 2022. Thanks to the 2021 knee injury and subsequent surgery, he now lacks the initial burst and flexibility he once had. Demus is on the slower side off the line of scrimmage, for one. Additionally, he now struggles to drop his hips, change directions and burst out of his breaks. He often fails to generate sufficient separation as a result, forcing him to rely on catches in traffic. That lack of juice also translates to Demus' YAC skills, which are nothing of note by NFL standards.

A team would be betting on Demus' size, ball skills and the potential for a rebound from the athletic drop-off he experienced. If he can find some of the athleticism he had back in 2021, he could blossom into a reliable "X" receiver who wins in the 1-15-yard range. That said, his current athletic profile projects at best as a quality depth receiver with the potential to be a low-end starter.

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GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 161

POSITION RANK: WR23

PRO COMPARISON: Nico Collins

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen