Tag: Josiah Deguara

Rookie contracts are rolling in fast with reporting dates coming up. A trio of third-rounders that have agreed to terms on their deal, per source: Packers TE Josiah Deguara, Cardinals OT Josh Jones and Steelers LB Alex Highsmith.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 21, 2020

The entire nine-player draft class for the Green Bay Packers is now signed.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Packers agreed to a rookie deal with third-round pick Josiah Deguara, a tight end from Cincinnati.

Deguara, the 94th overall pick in the 2020 draft, was the last of the team’s nine draft picks to sign.

Over the Cap estimates Deguara’s four-year deal will be worth $4.55 million, with a signing bonus of just under $870,000 and a cap hit in 2020 of just under $827,000. It’s possible Deguara’s deal will include an annual workout bonus. The Packers have added these bonuses to the contracts of third-round picks in recent years.

The rest of the Packers’ draft class – quarterback Jordan Love, running back A.J. Dillon, linebacker Kamal Martin, offensive linemen Jon Runyan, Simon Stepaniak and Jake Hanson, safety Vernon Scott and outside linebacker Jonathan Garvin – are all officially signed.

The team is expected to have rookies report for training camp later this week, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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General managers pick players in the draft, but it’s not difficult to find the fingerprints of coach Matt LaFleur covering the Green Bay Packers’ selection of tight end Josiah Deguara.

Does Brian Gutekunst take Deguara with the 94th pick in the draft without LaFleur as his coach? Doubtful.

Consider this: Not only does Deguara have the positional versatility and skill set of a player who should fit seamlessly into LaFleur’s offense, but he comes highly recommended by Cincinnati offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, a good friend of LaFleur’s who once worked side-by-side with the Packers coach at Notre Dame.

“I don’t think there are many jobs Josiah can’t do,” Denbrock told Justin Williams of The Athletic. “On a roster of 53 people, you have to have more than one guy who can do multiple things. I think his versatility is his strong suit, and on top of that, he’s an incredibly intelligent kid. You put all those things together, and I have a hard time believing he won’t be really, really successful.”

Deguara played numerous positions for Cincinnati, including inline tight end, out in the slot and at H-back. LaFleur, who is building his offense around pre-snap deception and the ability to challenge defensive personnel, sees Deguara as a capable blocker and receiver from several positions, which – in theory – could give the Packers an ability to run the ball and throw it using identical personnel.

During a post-draft conference call, Gutekunst said Deguara was a player that  LaFleur was “very, very excited about.”

“I love Josiah,” LaFleur said. “He is extremely versatile. The thing he brings to our offense is, we can be in the same personnel grouping and we can line him up on the line of scrimmage or in a wing alignment or in the backfield. I think that adds stress on the defense. When you watch Josiah, you see such a gritty, tough player.”

An assist from Denbrock likely led LaFleur to Deguara, who finished his college career with 92 catches, the most ever by a Cincinnati tight end. Now the offensive coordinator at Cincinnati, Denbrock was promoted to offensive coordinator at Notre Dame on the same day the Irish hired LaFleur to be the new quarterbacks coach in early 2014. The two men worked together for a full season in South Bend before LaFleur re-entered the NFL as the quarterbacks coach under Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta.

Now, Deguara is looking more and more like LaFleur’s answer to Kyle Juszczyk, Shanahan’s do-it-all H-back in San Francisco. In fact, LaFleur said the Packers will try to “emulate” some of the things the 49ers do with Juszczyk once Deguara is integrated into the offense.

It all ties together. The fit. The college coach. The player comparison.

This was a pick with LaFleur’s name written all over it.

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The versatility of third-round pick Josiah Deguara could help the Green Bay Packers unlock the full receiving potential of last year’s third-round pick, Jace Sternberger.

Both GM Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur have confirmed that the Packers plan to use Deguara, the 94th overall pick, in a versatile role that includes snaps on the wing and in the backfield, utilizing his athleticism and toughness as a move tight end and H-back player.

The role isn’t difficult to imagine. In fact, it’s a near-identical role to the one Sternberger played late during his rookie season. The Packers lined him up all over, including at fullback, using him mostly to stress personnel and perform blocks on the move, especially cut blocks on the backside of plays.

Now, the Packers have a player who exactly fits the role in Deguara, a player who was operated as a do-it-all player throughout his time at Cincinnati.

The trickle-down effect could be important for getting the most out of Sternberger, who came out of college as one of the best receivers at the position in 2019.

No longer will Sternberger be asked to do so many things as a move blocker. That’s not really his game. Deguara, a better blocker, will take over those responsibilities, freeing Sternberger to handle much more in the passing game – especially with Jimmy Graham no longer in Green Bay.

Note that Sternberger will likely play in the slot and out wide as a receiver more in 2020. He told Peter Bukowski of Locked on Packers that LaFleur is planning to play him “in the slot a lot” and have him “moving around” the offense next season.

Tie all the steps together.

The Packers use Sternberger in an H-back role late in 2019. Deguara is drafted to play the role. Sternberger, suddenly freed, transitions into more of a receiver-first role, taking over for Graham.

If it all works out, Sternberger could turn into a high-volume target for the Packers in Year 2. He’s set up for big things. Not only is Graham gone and his path cleared as the go-to receiving tight end, but the Packers now have a versatile tight end to handle the awkward role he had to play last season.

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The moment it became 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 for @JosiahD5.#BearcatsInTheNFL | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/J64nIUCW5i

— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) April 26, 2020

Getting a call from an NFL team on draft night is the moment every college football player dreams about.

Cincinnati tight end Josiah Deguara got his call from the Green Bay Packers on Friday night when GM Brian Gutekunst made him the 94th overall pick in the 2020 draft.

The official Twitter account of Cincinnati football shared the video of the moment.

“Thank you guys so much, I’m so ready to be a Packer,” Deguara said on the phone call.

Surrounding family members and friends, desperately trying to hold back screams while Deguara was on the call, burst into celebration soon after it was over, creating an incredible moment.

Deguara finished his college career as Cincinnati’s all-time leader in catches by a tight end (92). Packers coach Matt LaFleur plans to make him the offense’s go-to player at H-back, playing a versatile role at tight end and fullback.

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The Green Bay Packers used the 94th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft on Cincinnati tight end Josiah Deguara.

Over four years at Cincinnati, Deguara caught 92 passes for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns. He became the school’s all-time leader in catches from a tight end.

Here’s what draft analysts said about Deguara during the pre-draft process:

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “Hard-nosed move tight end who will garner consideration as an NFL H-back. He’s a gritty blocker who plays with good positioning and works hard at sustaining blocks to help his run game. As a pass catcher, Deguara is sure-handed with good feel for soft spots against zone, but may need an accurate thrower due to contested catch likelihood and suspect catch radius. He’s the type of Day 3 prospect who flies under the radar, but ends up becoming a solid contributor at H-back.”

Dane Brugler, The Athletic (draft guide): Deguara, who is Cincinnati’s all- time leader in catches (92) by a tight end, works to his spots and physically attacks the football, winning contested windows. He is a try-hard competitor with the hustle that pops on the screen, although his point-of-attack blocking isn’t ready for NFL-level defenders. Overall, Deguara is in the Dan Vitale mold as an H-Back and special teamer who won’t overwhelm with his play strength or suddenness in his routes, but he has enough traits to hang on an NFL roster.

Mark Schofield, Touchdown Wire: “Players like Deguara have a knack for sticking on rosters given their effort and willingness to do some of the dirty things that coaches love. His effort on routes and as a blocker will endear him to many coaches in the league, and what he showed on film is the promise of a potential all-around TE in the league. He will face questions about his athleticism and size, and will need to develop parts of his game like refining his routes and more consistency at the catch point, but he could be a potential growth project at the tight end position while contributing early as more of an H-Back.”

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: “Deguara is a fun prospect with an all-around game and some positional versatility. He can line up in the backfield, in-line at tight end or move around as a flex player. The key to his success is getting him the ball in space and letting him work there. Deguara should see the field plenty early in his career.”

Mike Renner, Pro Football Focus (draft guide): “Deguara has future H-back written all over him. For teams that use a fullback, that could easily be in his future as well. He’s a more than willing blocker who is a much better receiver than your typical blocking tight end. He has the ability to get open at both the deep and intermediate ranges of the defense. Flip on the tape and you’ll see him high stepping and stutter-stepping to a complete stop in an effort to sell his route breaks. We just need to see him fight back to the ball a little more. He’ll be an immediate impact player on special teams with the ability to grow into a starting tight end in the NFL.”

Joe Marino, The Draft Network: “Pop on Josiah Deguara’s tape and you will immediately appreciate his competitive toughness. Whether it’s exchanging power in the trenches, competing with the ball in his hands, trailing plays as they elongate down the field to hit a block or busting his ass to tackle an intercepting defender, he brings the juice. Deguara brings a balanced skill set to the table in terms of blocking and receiving where he’s been productive on both fronts in college. The challenge with Deguara and forecasting him at the next level is that he has pedestrian physical gifts and isn’t dominant in any one area. With that said, his proficiency in multiple areas profiles him well as a TE2 that should provide valuable depth and meaningful special teams contributions to his NFL team. His ceiling is modest but his floor is high.”

Kyle Crabbs, The Draft Network:  “Josiah Deguara projects as an ideal TE2 at the NFL level. There’s some developmental upside to get more nuance out of Deguara’s game, but he’s currently a blue collar worker in the box who brings needed scrappy attitude and blocking success to the point of attack and just enough of a vertical threat in the pass game to be a constant thorn in the side of defenses. There’s room for improvement, added nuance to some of Deguara’s route running, which could lead to a starting role.”

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Every year, coaches express excitement about individual players in the immediate aftermath of the NFL draft. It is expected. Teams don’t draft players – especially early – unless they think they’re getting a good football player who can contribute in a meaningful way.

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur was especially excited about the team’s third-round pick, Josiah Deguara, the tight end and H-back from Cincinnati.

On a conference call with reporters Saturday night, LaFleur gushed about the Packers’ new versatile weapon.

“I love Josiah,” LaFleur said. “He is extremely versatile. The thing he brings to our offense is, we can be in the same personnel grouping and we can line him up on the line of scrimmage or in a wing alignment or in the backfield. I think that adds stress on the defense. When you watch Josiah, you see such a gritty, tough player.”

Brian Gutekunst said LaFleur was “very, very excited” about getting a chance to use Deguara as a movable chess piece in the Packers offense.

Given LaFleur’s long-term coaching connection with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and the skill set Deguara is bringing to the next level, the easy comparison for Deguara quickly became 49ers fullback Kyle Juzczyk. And LaFleur confirmed the Packers envision a similar role for Deguara.

“We will try and emulate some that stuff in terms of how the 49ers use (Kyle) Juszczyk,” LaFleur said.

Deguara became Cincinnati’s all-time leader in catches by a tight end. Juszczyk played tight end at Harvard before transitioning into a hybrid role in the NFL.

Deguara played inline, in the slot, out wide and in the backfield, and although he lacks true tight end size (6-2, 242), he has the athleticism and versatility to be a Juszczyk-like player at the next level. In San Francisco, Shanahan uses his versatile fullback as a key run blocker from multiple spots and as a mismatch player in the passing game, taking advantage through the air when teams try to play heavy against run looks.

The Packers, who lost both Jimmy Graham and Danny Vitale this offseason, have snaps available for a player who can do some traditional things as both a tight end and a fullback. LaFleur’s offense uses a move tight end often in the run game and run action game, and Vitale was deployed – although sporadically – as a target in the passing game.

There are legitimate questions to be asked about the value of taking an H-back with a top-100 pick. Deguara may have to become the next Juzsczyk for the Packers to get any sort of quality return on the investment. But as is the case for all draft picks, situation matters greatly, and the Packers have a coach and an offense with a clear plan for getting the most out of a versatile player like Deguara.

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The Green Bay Packers selected Cincinnati tight end Josiah Deguara with the 94th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

Deguara caught 92 passes for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns over 46 games and 27 starts with the Bearcats. He set career highs with 504 receiving yards and seven scores in 2019.

Here’s a look back at Deguara’s four seasons at Cincinnati:

Full season highlights

2019

2018

Individual games

UCLA (2019)

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The Green Bay Packers ended a shocking first two days of the 2020 NFL draft by selecting Cincinnati tight end Josiah Deguara with the 94th overall pick.

The Packers will exit Day 2 with a developmental quarterback, a running back and a tight end/H-back hybrid. No receiver. No offensive tackle. No linebacker. No defensive lineman. No defensive back. No one saw this coming.

The picks keep getting more shocking.

Projections are just guesses, but Deguara was projected by Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus as a sixth-round pick. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com sees his best NFL position at H-back. Deguara is a good athlete for a fullback but possibly too small to be a full-time tight end. He caught 92 passes in 46 career games.

How does he fit?

Matt LaFleur’s offense likes to use versatile tight ends who can move around the formation, provide some pre-snap disguise and stress defenses in coverage with pass-catching threats at non-traditional positions. A specific role was carved out for Danny Vitale in 2019, but it was never fully realized, and now Deguara – who is more versatile – provides a second chance to get it right. Vitale departed in free agency.

Cincinnati used Deguara at inline tight end, in the slot and in the backfield.

The Packers will now move forward with Deguara and Jace Sternberger, both third-round picks, as the future at tight end. Time will tell if it’s a strong combo. If he can block effectively from multiple positions and unlock more production in the passing game with his athleticism, Deguara could be a valuable role player.

It’s still hard to believe the Packers used a top-100 pick on a player potentially heading for an H-back role, especially after watching 17 receivers in a loaded receiver class come off the board in the first three rounds.

The Packers are clearly banking on Deguara developing into a high-volume role player who can win in the passing game from multiple positions on the field in LaFleur’s offense.