Josiah Deguara - Scouting Report Sneak Peek

Psst.. here's a sneak peek at a Pro scouting report on Josiah Deguara

What you see below is the summary page of an extensive scouting report on Packers' third round pick, Josiah Deguara. The report was prepared by a Pro scouting service that is hired by NFL teams to provide additional input on draft prospects. (the scores are out of a possible 10 points)

Soooooo let me explain, these are scouting reports from an independent company that are usually not for public view. This scouting group has been doing these reports for decades. The full reports are usually 50-100 pages long, depending on the profile level of the player. What you are seeing is just the summary "scorecard." They are not my words. They were not planted here by the Packers. Because of some special circumstances I can't go into, I have a one-time opportunity to publish these here. Instead of wasting your time trying to question the veracity of these reports, just enjoy them. You won't get another chance.

This one is lacking the numerical scores, but all of the other content is there.

Enjoy!

 

Player

School

Jersey

Year Entered

Test

DEGUARA, Josiah

Cincinnati

#83

2015

 

Height

Weight

Birth date

College Position

Pro Position

6:02.4

243

n/a

TE/H-Back

"Y"/H-Back

Bench Press

Squat

Power Clean

Vertical Jump

Broad Jump

n/a

n/a

n/a

31 1/2-inches

9-feet/10-inches

Time (10-Yard)

Time (20-Yard)

Time (40-Yard)

20-Yd Shuttle

60-Yd Shuttle

1.64

2.75

4.76

4.27

11.43

Three-Cone

Arm Length

Hand Width

Wingspan

Grade

7.19

33 1/8-inches

9 7/8-inches

77 7/8-inches

 

2019 Best Games

UCLA, Miami (Oh.), Marshall, Central Florida, East Carolina, Connecticut, Memphis (regular season)

2019 Worst Games

Tulsa, South Florida, Temple

2018 Best Games

Ohio University, Connecticut, Tulane, Navy, East Carolina

2018 Worst Games

UCLA, Southern Methodist, Virginia Tech

2017 Best Games

Marshall

2017 Worst Games

Played in reserve

2016 Best Games

Played in reserve

2016 Worst Games

Played in reserve

Body Structure

Deguara has the size that you look for in an H-Back type, but might not be what teams look for in a classic tight end position. He might be asked to increase his bulk, but you do not want him to do so if it will impact his quickness. He has that strong, well-developed upper body frame that allows him to quickly gain advantage in separating from smaller defenders.. He has big hands (9 7/8-inches) with long arms (33 1/8-inches) and wing span (77 5/8-inches). He also shows above average flexibility (see shuttle drill numbers), along with the leaping ability and arm extension to get to balls outside his frame. He has a firm midsection, good bubble and developed muscle tone in his thighs and calves. He maintains low body fat and has a V-shaped torso with good overall muscle tone.

General Report

 

 

Athletic Ability

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is an excellent intermediate area receiver with the hands and speed to beat second level defenders heading up field. He runs crisp routes and has the second gear to separate, along with good awareness to uncover. He plays with very good toughness and will compete for jump balls as a receiver. He shows good alertness when the pocket is pressured to work back to the ball and has yet to reach his full potential in his ability to be a bona fide playmaker.

Deguara might be undersized for a traditional tight end, but has very good acceleration and timed speed to compensate. He shows the ability to adjust easily to the poorly thrown pass and looks agile and alert running his routes, as he executes his patterns with crispness (rarely rounds his cuts or drifts on deep patterns). He has natural hands, above average balance and body control. He has above average change of direction skills and lateral agility, doing an equally effective job with his straight-line speed as he does when redirecting or cutting out of his breaks.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara is a much better athlete than his receiving production indicates, as the team is just again starting to embrace the value they have at the tight end position in the passing game. He runs with a normal stride and has the acceleration to easily get behind second level defenders and most safeties. He shows agility, balance, body control and hand/eye coordination looking the ball in over his outside shoulder (see 2019 UCLA, Miami-Ohio games), along with the quickness to get down field and separate underneath.

He shows good flexibility as an edge blocker, doing a nice job of making adjustments to mirror  rushers, but must be conscious of keeping his feet moving (when his feet die, defenders can get a side and escape). He displays good hands and solid extension skills to reach and pluck the ball at its high point. What you see from Deguara is that he is a fluid mover with very good hand/eye coordination extending for the ball outside his frame.

Football Sense

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is aware of his surroundings as a route runner, doing a nice job of settling and sitting in the soft areas (see 2019 UCLA, Marshall, Memphis regular season games). He recognizes coverage and takes advantage of the slightest of cushion allowed by second level defenders to execute good fakes in attempts to elude and get up the seam. He is the type that generates costly penalties and he is very alert to the snap cadence.

Deguara understands the game well and is quick to come back for the ball when his quarterback is in trouble. He is a true competitor in games and practices and is the type that can make good adjustments on the fly. He needs only minimal reps to retain plays. He is alert to picking up stunts, twists and games, and shows good hand positioning vs. the down linemen when blocking in-line.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara keeps his head on a swivel looking for soft areas on the field to attack and he has a good angle concept for attacking the opponent when on the move. He does not need more than minimal reps to retain plays and works well without the ball, doing a nice job of finding and settling on the field. It is very rare to see him make assignment errors and he is the type that learns football easily, looking very instinctive in his movements when reviewing film on him (see 2019 UCLA, Marshall; 2018 Ohio University, Connecticut and East Carolina games).

Character

 

Deguara is a good program performer and one of the best conditioned athletes on the team. He is a personable sort, well-liked by the staff and takes pride in his leadership ability, along with serving as a mentor for the younger players (one of four team captains).

Competitiveness

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is a true warrior tossing his body around going for the ball in a crowd or stalking a second level defender. He has outstanding focus on the ball in flight and will run through brick walls, if it means coming up with the catch. He has that “fire in his belly” to compete for the ball and plays until the whistle. He shows no hesitation in sacrificing his body to make the big play and is the type that wants the ball in pressure situations.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara is not the type that will get in a defender’s face or talk trash, preferring to let his production speak volumes for his ability. He is a decent blocker and a physical hitter who gives good effort as a receiver, but needs to maintain proper pad level when asked to clear out rush lanes. He will not hesitate to compete for the ball in a crowd. He is not going to be a fiery type, but he will give 110% in every aspect of his game. The thing you see on film is that he will not hesitate to sell out in order to make the big catch.

Work Habits

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is a good worker in the weight room and practices. He is a self-made offensive player, thanks to the long hours he put in learning the position. He took on more of a leadership role as a junior and is the type that works hard. He has good strength, but might have to increase his power base in order to compensate for a lack of ideal tight end size

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara is one of the most tireless workers in the program, evident by him being possibly the most athletic tight end in this draft class. He plays whatever role the coaches ask – classic tight end, in the slot, lined wide or as an H-Back/Y type. He does what is asked and then does the “extras,” proving that football is very important to him. He is a naturally strong athlete who might lack the ideal size and bulk teams look for, but don’t let that fool you, as he will attack with force and determination to get to the ball in flight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued On Next Page

Athletic Report

 

 

Release

 

2019 Season Update...Bigger defenders might not think he will be a challenge vs. the press, but once Deguara engages, they are in for a full-out war, as he might not be the biggest tight end out there, but he’s like Davey with the slingshot taking on Goliath and will consistently beat the chuck. He is a powerful tight end who actually creates mismatches for linebackers, as he has the change of direction agility and hand usage to slip pass the jam and get right on top of his route.

The Bearcats often split him wide to gain advantage vs. smaller defenders, but even in a three-point stance, he accelerates smoothly coming off the ball. He shows good transitioning in and out of his cuts and has a nice array of moves and fakes to lull the corners out of their backpedal too early. He might be effective more so vs. the veer release, but he has very good strength to power through most hold ups and uncover quickly (see 2019 UCLA, Marshall, East Carolina, Connecticut games). He keeps his hands active and inside his frame in order to push off or jerk down the defender in order to create space for himself to make the play.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara uses his quickness and long arms to make sure a physical defender can not lock on in attempts to jam and reroute him. He has a quick initial burst to surprise a second level defender and will win most foot races vs. linebackers and safeties. He shows good urgency in his release off the line and rarely will you see him takes false steps. Even vs. some cornerbacks, he has enough ability to get up field and the quickness to elude. In looking at 2019 tape (see UCLA, Marshall, Central Florida games), you can see that he continues to improve in his ability to power through the jam , along with the quickness needed to create space and get out in the flats. He has a good burst coming off the line and looks fluid when utilized as a “move” tight end, displaying loose hips and sharp plant-&-drive to turn and head up field.

Acceleration

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara has the quickness to escape the press and strength to power through the hold up. He shows no hesitation nor does he take any false steps getting off the line of scrimmage. His speed needs to be accounted for by the defense at all times, as he is a threat to affect and stretch the coverage. In the short area, he is an inviting target due to his lateral agility. He also does a nice job of adjusting his routes to set up the defender. Few tight ends can stretch the field like he can (see 2019 Ohio State, Miami-Ohio, East Carolina games).

Deguara lacks blazing speed, but few tight ends get in and out of their cuts as cleanly as he does, sort of watching a smaller version of George Kittle. He might not be a big target working underneath, but he shows very good awareness to adjust and uncover, sinking his pads properly when settling in zones. He has the natural hands to go with good toughness battling for the ball over the middle. He showed marked improvement working underneath last season. He plays with a very physical nature working the short area, yet is quick enough to get open.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara is a nice target for the quarterback, thanks to his balance and body control working through a crowd to find soft spots to settle under. He shows good awareness to uncover and make plays in front of linebackers, then, using his leg drive and forward body lean to pick up extra yardage after the catch (hates it when one tackler is able to stop him). While he might lack great size for a classic tight end, he has that receiver-like change of direction agility to escape good man coverage.

He might not be used on deep patterns, but he is aware of coverage and knowing where to find the soft areas (see 2019 UCLA, Central Florida; 2018 Ohio University, Connecticut games). He has that natural ability to find ways to get open in time for the quarterback to deliver the ball to him and has become a valuable target over the middle and when used on drag patterns.

Quickness

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara has average quickness and timed speed for his position. He flashes the ability to defeat the jam with his feet and maintains his acceleration throughout the routes. He shows suddenness coming off the snap and getting into his routes. He also displays urgency to gain advantage when blocking in-line. When he gets open, it is usually the result of him getting a good push off the defender with his hands.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara shows good “get off” running his routes, even when aligned near the line of scrimmage. He also has that explosive burst to be a dangerous threat when lining up in the backfield as an H-Back. The thing that he does best is generating the lateral range to escape and get up field. In this day and age in the NFL, teams are looking for players like him to stretch the field, as he can flash to gain advantage and battles with very good intensity to escape the jam. He is an explosive mover when he gets a clean release and steps quickly to contact as a blocker while also getting off the line with a good burst as a receiver.

Route Running

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is an all-out battler trying to gain in-line position working in a crowd. He is highly effective on controlled routes, but if a defender lets him get in space, he’s going to take the ball to the house (see 2019 Miami-Ohio, Connecticut, Houston games). He is an agile route runner with a good conception for staying in his patterns (little or no drift), thanks to his balance and burst coming out of his breaks. He executes the route with quick head and shoulder turning motion. If a defender gives him the slightest cushion, he is soon to gobble it up. He is very aware of coverage and makes a nice living settling into the soft areas (very good chain mover). He shows quickness sinking his hips and stepping out of his cuts down field.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara has been used in a variety of roles as a pass catcher, whether lining up in the backfield, positioning outside or coming off the snap in a traditional stance. His routes are crisp, as he shows the athletic ability and quickness to sink his hips and separate. He has the power to avoid being rerouted and does a nice job of using his hands to leverage defenders and separate with his array of moves. He is best served in the zone, where his quickness lets him take advantage of slower second level opponents, but he can also cause problems for cornerbacks on the rare times he runs deep patterns.

With his smooth running stride and change of direction skills, he has that flash ability to set defenders when working up the seam. He runs a lot of delays and drags, which does not give him much opportunity to challenge in man coverage, but he has that fine ability to know where he needs to be in order to create spacing. He is an athletic, instinctive player running routes and shows the ability to sink his hips and make sharp cuts. With his upper body strength, he will not have problems getting a clean release vs. the jam at the next level.

Separation Ability

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara can easily run away from linebackers after the catch. He also hits secondary opponents with a tremendous thud to power through arm tackles. Still, for all his power, he is just as capable of beating his man with a quick lateral move as well as run over his man. His best move in the open is his spin break and he does an excellent job of varying his speed to get the corners out of their backpedal.

Deguara is a crisp route runner who shows good definition in his breaks. He was featured much in the offense, but because he lacks true tight end size, he might be a better fit for a team that plans to utilize his speed more in multiple receiver formations. He has the ability to isolate the linebackers and safeties and shows the second gear needed to elude in the open). After the catch, he does an excellent job finding the small crease when working in traffic.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara shows good quickness at his position, using it to separate out of his cuts. He is alert to coverage and sinks his pads properly when settling in the zone’s soft spots. He might be a “hidden find” if he can get with a team that will allow him to use his quickness to separate down field, as he shown in limited opportunities that he can create space needed to make the big play. He has the valid speed to separate and threaten the deep part of the zone and will not hesitate to “throw down” a linebacker that gets in his way, doing a nice job of using his hands in attempts to get open after a strong push-off.

Ball Concentration

 

2019 Season Update...Most of Deguara's RAC comes when he catches the ball in stride, as he has that sudden burst to elude and get open quickly. He is a natural hands catcher, doing a nice job of extending outside his frame. He does a good job of absorbing the ball and shielding it from the defender. With his body torque, he excels at adjusting and getting to off-target passes. He is a physical receiver with enough strength to out-battle the defender for the ball and will do a very good job of looking the ball in over his shoulders.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara has shown marked improvement in this area as a senior, but there have been several times he has left the ball on the ground because he looks to turn and run before securing the pigskin (see 8 Miami-Ohio, Southern Methodist games). He does play with true courage, as he will not hesitate to sacrifice himself in order to make the tough catch in a crowd. If this kid is ever affected going for the ball in traffic, I have yet to see it on game films. He loves combating for the ball in a crowd and more often than not, you will see on tape that he makes the catch with defenders hanging on to him. He shows no fear operating over the middle and does not hesitate to get combative with his hands when an opponent tries to physically bump him.

Ball Adjustment

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is a bit of a contortionist or has no regard for his body, as 22 of his receptions in 2019 were off-target throws that should not have been caught (see 2019 East Carolina, Connecticut, Memphis regular season games). He has above average ball skills and body control to adjust underneath or down field. There is no stiffness in his hips, evident by his ease of movement turning around or scooping low for the ball. He also shows good elevation to go up and get the ball at its high point.

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara does a nice job of maintaining balance and body control on the move, along with being very conscious of keeping his feet in bounds working down the sidelines. He plays with effortless body control to reach and pluck the ball away from his frame. He also shows very good ability to position and make the catch underneath. He tracks the ball well over his outside shoulder and jumps with good timing to make the tough catch in a variety of locations.

Leaping Ability

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara has good, but not great leaping ability. What gets him his most success is his timing and power, as few secondary types can combat him for the jump ball, especially if they try to get physical with him. He makes good adjustments with his feet off the ground, thanks to his body control. 

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara is good athlete who shows no hesitation in attempts to extend in order to get to the ball at its high point. He will not leave the ground too early, but when he does, he has the skills to take the second leap to get back in on the play.

Hands

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is not the type that will ever use his body as a crutch to catch the ball. He is a natural hands catcher, again drawing comparisons to George Kittle in this area. He makes good adjustments on the move to catch away from his frame, and is very conscious of ball security.

Deguara will extend and pluck the ball away from the body’s framework. He has soft hands to catch away from his body. On occasions when he will trap the ball, he does a good job of maintaining focus and securing the pigskin before running with it (only one fumble in 26 games as a starter).

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara has soft hands and is not the type that uses his body as a crutch. I really like the way he will extend to catch the ball outside his frame. His concentration is functional, but there were times in 2018 where he did have some lapses (still an area that is worth further evaluating before passing judgment, as he has been efficient through the first seven games on the 2019 schedule). As a senior, it appears that he knows how to keep the ball off his body to make the catch and with those long arms, he certainly has the catching radius to reach and pluck the ball with ease.

Run After the Catch

 

2019 Season Update...Deguara is constantly moving his feet once he gets the ball in his hands. He knows he’s not the biggest tight end out there, but he plays as if he’s a giant, running over smaller defenders, setting up bigger ones with head fakes and hip snap. For a player his size to break tackles as much as he does, even those that have doubts about his size have to be impressed. He is not really a vertical threat, but does have the functional speed to get open. He does a good job of lowering his pads and squaring his shoulders to run through tackles.

Deguara is quick to run with the ball after securing it and has enough leg drive to power through initial contact. He runs hard and has that burst to separate in the open (see 2019 Ohio State, East Carolina contests). He is the type of player that will consistently threaten a defense. He is elusive and has the speed to win most foot races vs. linebackers and safeties. He lacks ideal size vs. the larger defenders, but has enough functional strength to break arm tackles and gain yardage with defenders draped on him

Previous Scouting Report...Deguara is a good open field runner, with the loose hips and nifty spin moves to avoid second level defenders after the catch. He stays low in his pads with good forward body lean to get additional yardage after initial contact. He is used mostly in possession situations, which is unfortunate, as you can see he has more than enough quickness to stretch the field. He might not make too many cornerbacks miss when tackling him, but he will make those smaller defenders pay for their attempts to bring him down one-on-one. He is very fluid running his patterns and has that natural ability to sink his hips and make crisp cuts without taking extra steps coming out of his breaks.

Blocking Ability

 

2019 Season Update...In the open, Deguara willingly throws his body weight into a linebacker. He is an aggressive up field blocker who plays with the intent to punish. He is just a much better blocker on the move than in-line, as he does a nice job of adjusting and making contact. When blocking at the line, he does leave his feet at times. He has quickness to gain position, but due to size and bulk issues, he will tend to overextend and lose leverage.

Previous Scouting Report...This is an area requiring further evaluation, as he is not tasked like a traditional tight end, but does show good effort stalking second level defenders. With limited opportunities to block, based on film view, more information and plays as a blocker are needed before an analysis can be compiled (from film view, he was generally on the sidelines during red zone/goal-line running plays, thus not much of an opportunity to evaluate him as a blocker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summation

 

 

This category will be compiled at the conclusion of the 2019 football season.

Overview

 

 

Information for this category can be located at the player's profile.

Medical

Information for this category can be located at the player's profile.

Statistics

Information for this category can be located at the player's profile.

Career Notes

Information for this category can be located at the player's profile.

Compares To

2019 Season Update...George Kittle-San Francisco 49ers...Some scouts see the same catch radius and route running abilities in Deguara that are featured in Kittle, with others calling him a smaller version of Travis Kelce. Either way, he is a good athlete and route runner with run after catch ability. His best routes are post and seam patterns, but he certainly is a hybrid receiver who is a big target with wide receiver skills. He's a very efficient route runner with minimal wasted steps, along with above average eye-hand coordination.

You can see on film Deguara's ability to slip downfield tacklers and he's creative in space. Some other scouts regard him as a Jordan Reed type weapon, but Deguara is faster and more athletic between the hash marks than the Redskin. The tweener tight end will always fight the uphill battle of being undersized as a blocker in the trenches, but he does give solid effort.

In conclusion, Deguara has the speed to threaten the safety area in Cover-2 situations. He lines up at wing back as well as the traditional tight end. He runs crossers, wheel routes, flats, check downs, and screens. With his soft hands, the Bearcat can pluck the ball effortlessly. He's simply a reliable talent who is experienced in overall tight end/H-Back play. While he's also a willing blocker who gives effort, he could use a little more weight to thump and pop the defensive end.

Previous Scouting Report...Gerald Everett-Los Angeles Rams...Like Everett, Deguara is more of an athletic multiple alignment receiver. He has the speed to exploit linebacker match-ups, but is more of an H-back type who is effective on crossers, seams, and bubble screens. He displays dependable and consistent hands snatching the ball in traffic, along with possessing good body control to adjust to off target passes. He also won’t turn down an opportunity to crack back on safeties or line-backers, but his in-line blocking needs further evaluation.

Deguara is a smooth mover who has good body control and change of direction agility, which allows him to win his share of 50/50 balls. He is competitive going for the ball in a crowd, but still, I have questions that need to be answered to give a good evaluation as an inline blocker. He will give good effort in the run game as a downfield screen-off type of blocker, though. I just need to see him stay in to mirror defensive ends in pass protection more. Right now, he appears to be a nice fit as a sub package contributor at this point, but you can see he has the talent to give more.

           

 

 

 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.

__________________________

"Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of many hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He is also a recovering Mason Crosby truther.  Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP

__________________________

NFL Categories: 
10 points
 

Comments (31)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
taarons420's picture

April 28, 2020 at 06:32 pm

This guys was a STEAL in the 3rd round.
Perfect for LaFleur's offense.
He will be a fan favorite for a long time.

11 points
14
3
jannes bjornson's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:00 pm

He could be a Chris Cooley type of player. He had a solid game vs Arizona State in the 2019 opener.

3 points
3
0
RCPackerFan's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:26 pm

I saw Zach Kruse tweet yesterday that compared Cooley and Deguara's stats.

Cooley had 96 catches for 1255 yards and 11 TD's.
Deguara and 92 catches for 1117 yards and 12 TD's.

Cooley was drafted with the 81st pick in the 3rd round. Deguara with the 94th pick in the 3rd round.

The comparison is very interesting.

4 points
4
0
jannes bjornson's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:48 pm

I love watching MAC and the AAC League games.mid-week. Innovative offenses, speed and lots of NFL bound players. The RB from Buffalo will be coming out next year. The Bearcats had 4.23 and 4.3 Wrs as freshmen. DeGuara stood out the past couple of years making catches on the move on the one or two count, just what LeFleur wants. Rodgers can run the short to mid game in his sleep. He did it @ Cal for two years.

3 points
3
0
Bure9620's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:55 pm

Funny you say that, Cooley is my comp.for him. I feel Juszczyk is a bit for more of a true fullback.

2 points
2
0
Bure9620's picture

April 28, 2020 at 09:15 pm

If he can pass and run block? Yes. If he can add a new dynamic as a receiver, then absolutely.

2 points
2
0
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

April 28, 2020 at 06:39 pm

Wow...what isnt there to like? I now understand why LF 'loves' him!

Edit: I agree I too sense he will quickly become a fan favorite!

7 points
10
3
Alberta_Packer's picture

April 28, 2020 at 06:48 pm

Seems like a scouting report closer to a 3rd round pick - rather than a 6th/7th - as many amateur draft experts were venting. Perhaps the Packers picks were not so random - they were actually following a team strategy and draft plan.

8 points
11
3
jannes bjornson's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:02 pm

They read the scripts from the fantasy press.

1 points
3
2
Alberta_Packer's picture

April 28, 2020 at 09:39 pm

I don't believe that exists. Just keeping to reality.

1 points
1
0
Coldworld's picture

April 29, 2020 at 10:39 am

Oh, littered with them, the talking heads do not deep dive into context. This guy is a classic example, still talking about him as a conventional TE, which means that they haven’t focused on, or considered, why the Packers drafted who they did or even what they have said. A lot of the more national analysis suffers from this on a regular basis. At draft time they are swamped so more so.

3 points
3
0
Coldworld's picture

April 29, 2020 at 10:30 am

Most reports don’t grade for the HBack (or whatever you call it) position. They grade as a classic TE. In doing so, they miss the point in the context of the HBack role.

Even Al ( I mean the scout) writing this repeatedly notes that he is small for a trad TE, hasn’t played that role and will lack size strength in it. As a classic TE even with these skills, a third day pick would make sense.

However, this Scout (lets pretend he is called Al) clearly focuses on the role for which he was drafted. Based on this he is would be a steal, particularly as he had already played in the manner in which we would likely used him.

The more I read about this player, the more I am excited and the more excited I think Rodgers and his colleagues should be. I find myself wondering if, unlike my initial fears, this draft will do more for the offense, so pedestrian and predictable recently, than my more conventional pre-draft hopes would have done.

3 points
3
0
PeteK's picture

April 28, 2020 at 07:00 pm

Well, as the report states he has GOOD BUBBLE, which must account for something. I think he was a definite reach, but thought the same about Sternberger, and like what I saw last season, even if it was a small sample. I think we are changing into a more power oriented offense, but as long as we have Rogers, Jones, and Adams we will still have plenty of finesse. Overall, balance is a formula for great success.

7 points
9
2
jeremyjjbrown's picture

April 28, 2020 at 07:39 pm

"Deguara is not the type that will ever use his body as a crutch to catch the ball. He is a natural hands catcher, again drawing comparisons to George Kittle in this area."

Awesome. Thanks posting these Al.

12 points
12
0
MarkinMadison's picture

April 28, 2020 at 07:55 pm

A much better report than I was expecting.

7 points
7
0
murf7777's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:23 pm

Impressive report....kelce and Kittle, come on, now you have me excited. I did watch his film but I’m far from an evaluator of talent, all I can say is it looked good in my eyes. People say Packers didn’t get Rodgers weapons, bit I have to disagree and I could make a good argument that they did more with Dillon and Deguara then one of the top WR’s by a bit of a margin.

12 points
12
0
Ferrari-Driver's picture

April 28, 2020 at 08:59 pm

That George Kittle comparison caught my eye. Based upon reading the review alone, I would have guessed a second round selection for him.

4 points
4
0
Jaqu’eau's picture

April 28, 2020 at 09:05 pm

No weapons for Rodgers? He is Rodgers’ dream chess piece on third down, especially 3rd and short. A great route runner, soft hands, dangerous in short and intermediate situations, enough speed and quickness to get behind linebackers plusa mean streak! He caught 22 passes that should not have been caught, last year Rodgers suffered the most or near the top on dropped passing yards. Talk about filling perceived needs. Based on this report, taken at face value, Deguara will not take 2-3 years to learn the system and will likely gain Rodgers’ trust quickly. I look forward to see what LaFleur and Rodgers’ imagination will conjure with this draft class, assuming Deguara and others play to their potential. Not flashy, but some potentially good to great upgrades.

9 points
9
0
PDX_Packfan's picture

April 28, 2020 at 09:20 pm

Thanks for the post Al. I read these articles often and especially look forward to yours.

If he can find the soft spots in coverage like he did in college he is going to rack up a ton of yards. I'll take a guy with a nasty attitude on the team any time as well. Aaron Jones should have an all pro year with this guy and Lewis paving the way.

7 points
7
0
SlingerBrett's picture

April 28, 2020 at 09:57 pm

I liked this guy as soon as I did some research on him. He seems to have had great hands in college and looks like the stud tight end that the Packers have been looking for, for a long time now. He appears to be a student of the game, both mentally and physically. I'm hoping he'll develop quickly and get plenty of time on the field. I think we'll soon love this guy as I have good feeling he will be an outstanding Packer for years to come. Thanks for the great report Al.

6 points
6
0
Since'61's picture

April 28, 2020 at 10:54 pm

For me, this is the best report of the 3 picks so far based on what we need/expect Deguara to become in our offense. I like his versatility and his work ethic. He should evolve into an excellent for the Packers and out of all our 2020 picks I think that he will be able to make a significant contribution to the offense in 2020. Everyone stay well. Thanks, Since ‘61

4 points
5
1
Stickwin's picture

April 28, 2020 at 11:19 pm

Great article Al. It must be a great article if you get a 5 to 1 ratio of up votes to down votes from this crowd.

3 points
3
0
Johnblood27's picture

April 28, 2020 at 11:33 pm

Hey Al, can you compare this report to the reports for Dalton Keane, Adam Trautman, Harrison Bryant and/or Brycen Hopkins?

If all the repors are as glowing as Deguaras, I would say that maybe a 5th could have gotten a pretty good TE-Hback candidate and maybe there might have been a DL at 3 that we could use like Davon Hamilton.

The lack of a 4th really hurt.

0 points
2
2
Johnblood27's picture

April 28, 2020 at 11:34 pm

BTW, Josiah is our guy now, I love his report and I am looking forward to seeing him become a beast!

I live just outside Folsom CA where he played his HS ball.

2 points
2
0
Spock's picture

April 29, 2020 at 05:17 am

Thanks, Al, these reports are fun reads! I toggled down and read the "previous" reports first and then went back up to read the "update" . This kid sounds like he's got the "little dog with big fight in him". I loved the "bit of a contortionist" and "tracks the ball well over his outside shoulder". Rogers should love having a guy to give the back shoulder throw to! Sounds like he has some Jordy-like pass catching moves (obviously as a slower TE, but still... exciting).

0 points
0
0
greengold's picture

April 29, 2020 at 12:23 pm

Phenomenal Al... THANK YOU! What a treat to read!

Deguara was my top pick for a TE addition, and I'm glad they took care of business early, as he would not have lasted to pick 175. That was a bold choice by Gutekunst to give LaFleur EXACTLY who he wanted to flesh out his O scheme.

Add to that, Deguara had more receptions, yards & TDs than Travis Kelce, who also graduated from Cincinnati. Kelce is a 5 time Pro Bowl TE... SOLD pick. Josiah will be great in Green & Gold!!! Rodgers is totally going to dig this kid.

2 points
2
0
NoNonsense's picture

April 29, 2020 at 12:51 pm

Crazy because Kittle was a 5th round pick and maybe that is where his value was coming out of college but not one single person would complain if he went in the first round with hindsight.

This is why I dont worry about the so called value experts out there. GB picked at the end of every round and if you think about it there are not always 32 true 1st round talents or 32 2nd round talents and so on. So if in the 2nd when Gute couldnt trade up to get his last 2nd round WR, he took the next best thing according to his board which was AJ Dillon I assume and the same goes for Deguara. Trading up or down requires a trade partner and giving up or receiving picks. Not everyone likes to give away picks especially if theres not a specific player they want still high on their board.

One can hate the Dillon pick because it was too early for a RB of any kind or because they wanted a different position like OL DL, LB or WR but what you cant know is how GB had him ranked. Josh Jones who I thought was like the 5th or 6th rated OT went in the 3rd or 4th round, as a fan we just dont know how these guys are valued and base most of our knowledge from others big boards like Kipers which are notbthe same as each teams board.

I certainly dont hate the Dillon pick but once again, I preferred Antonio Gibson at 62 just because of his crazy speed and tackle breaking ability. If Gute took Gibson at 62 instead, Dillon might have still been there to get in the 3rd or he might not.

Would everyone feel better about the draft if we got Gibson at 62 and Dillon at 94? Didnt give up a 4th for Love and got Deguara in the 4th, of course you would but we have no clue if either guy would be there to take in those spots.

0 points
0
0
Barazinho's picture

April 29, 2020 at 05:14 pm

"as 22 of his receptions in 2019 were off-target throws that should not have been caught" - some pretty high praise, especially when you think about JG's 2 years, where he just dropped passes, and when he caught them, you were excited and relieved. Seems like a better pick than people first imagined - not just a blocking H-back, but also an effective pass catcher.

0 points
0
0
Tundraboy's picture

April 30, 2020 at 01:12 am

Wow, just wow!. Thanks Al.

0 points
0
0
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 30, 2020 at 09:40 am

This scouting report is pretty unrelentingly positive, and only acknowledges limitations in passing. It is unlike any other I have read on Deguara. His forty time seems to be different everywhere I look. Here it is 4.76, but NFL.com and packers.com has it as a 4.72u and APC listed 4.60. The other scouting report on Jordan Love was a bit rosy as well, and while it is not the pick I would have made I don't have a significant problem with taking Love either, even with the 4th rounder thrown in.

Let's hope both scouting reports turn out to be accurate!

0 points
0
0
Archie's picture

April 30, 2020 at 04:20 pm

Of our first 3 picks, I'd say DeGuara is the most likely not to be a bust.

Dillon and Love have high ceilings but both have higher likelihoods of being busts than DeGuara.

Dillon & Love are physical freaks. Both seem intelligent as well.

The risk with Love is which is the real Love - the 2018 version or the 2019.

The risk with Dillon is twofold. First he's not a power back in the sense of Earl Campbell, John Riggins or even Jim Taylor. Those guys ran over guys. Dillon is big & fast but he is a bit heavy footed i.e., slow to accelerate and easy to trip up. Even worse, he tends to let up before he hits people and also turn his back before contact. So he is not inflicting punishment on the tackler like a Jim Taylor did. Based on a small sample size as well as how he looked at the combine, I believe that he will be a pleasant surprise at catching the ball. He will lack the sharp cuts and instant acceleration of a Clyde Edwards-Hellaire. But he should be a good all-purpose HB who can be used as a work horse on 1st and 2nd down. I'm not sure he will be an effective short yardage back even though many refer to hm as a hammer. I just don't think he runs with vicious abandon. But we shall see.

0 points
0
0