Demario Douglas Scouting Report and NFL Draft Player Profile
Demario Douglas Scouting Report: WR, Liberty
2023 NFL Draft Measurements
Demario Douglas 40-Yard Dash Time – 4.40
5’8” / 170 lbs.
Demario Douglas Draft Profile
Demario Douglas is a former 2-star recruit out of Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida. According to his rivals recruiting profile, he drew interest from eight Division I programs. Out of these eight programs, only six offered him a scholarship. Some of these schools were UAB, FAU, Gardner-Webb, and Liberty. After receiving these offers, he committed to the Flames in February 2019.
According to Liberty, Douglas finished his high school senior season with 1,300 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. In 2018, he led his team to the state title game where he had 4 receiving touchdowns. These 4 touchdowns broke the previous state title game record. After this season, he was named to the All-USA team and shortly joined the Flames afterward. In his 4 seasons with the Flames, he had 2,198 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
Strengths
Natural Athleticism
When watching film on Demario Douglas, I quickly realized that he is a naturally gifted athlete. He is very explosive off the snap, which allows him to quickly stem his route. Douglas is also very good at changing directions on a dime during his route and after the catch. He has a low center of gravity that he uses to his advantage by sinking his hips and separating from defenders.
When the ball is thrown his way, he shows good body control in order to make catches outside of his frame. If the ball is thrown above him, he shows that he can go up and catch the ball at the high point. I found this to be very impressive, given the fact he is only 5’8”. Douglas’ shiftiness and acceleration also made him effective on jet sweep plays. This helped Liberty constantly change up their offense and keep the defense guessing.
Release
As I briefly mentioned earlier, Douglas is very good at quickly stemming his route. But that is far from all he can do off the line. Prior to the snap, Douglas does a good job of keeping his front knee directly over the middle of his foot. This allows him to load up his backfoot and legs with pressure so he can explode off the snap. If he is lined up against soft coverage, he is good at accelerating quickly which forces the defense to close out on him. Then, he does a good job of manipulating their hips by using a double move during his route stem. Douglas can also fake them out by simply using a head fake. Both moves force the DB to flip their hips, then Douglas takes off in the other direction.
Hands
Given his below-average hand size, Douglas shows incredible grip strength to make catches away from his body. When making catches outside of his frame, he shows off his grip strength as well as concentration. This allows him to consistently come down with the ball when up in the air. When the ball is thrown behind him, he does a good job of turning his body and making the grab. I also noticed that Douglas is a natural catcher with his hands. Some receivers of his size rely on using their body to help pull the ball in. Not Douglas, he is very good at making catches away from his body allowing him to rack up extra yards.
Versatility
While at Liberty, Douglas has lined up all over the field. In 2021, when Malik Willis was his QB, he often lined up as a Z receiver. During this season, he ran a lot of short and intermediate routes both to the inside and outside. He also had several snaps where he was in motion prior to the snap. Douglas was used in jet sweeps as well. His versatility, combined with Willis’ mobility, was a very dangerous combination. During his 2022 season, he primarily lined up in the slot where he had his best season yet. Douglas also has loads of experience acting as a punt and kickoff returner.
Yards After Catch
Although I have talked about how athletic Douglas is, my words don’t do it justice. When he gets the ball in his hands, he is very elusive and slippery. On screen passes, he does a good job of squaring up his hips allowing him to elude defenders and get upfield quickly. In the middle of the field, he is impossible to catch when hit in stride. This could make him very dangerous in the NFL because he has lots of big play potential.
When making catches along the sideline, he does a good job of keeping his feet in bounds. I honestly believe that he has such good balance, that he could be a tightrope walker. If you don’t believe me, check out the video below.
Weaknesses
Size
Being only 5’8” and weighing 170 lbs. could lead to some injury concerns in the future. Given he will likely be in the slot as well as special teams, he will be susceptible to big hits. If he takes one too many big hits, his longevity could be impacted. His lack of size also hinders his ability to be an effective playmaker deep down the field. This will make him a little predictable in the NFL and will even limit his route tree going forward.
Play Strength
Along with his below-average size, Douglas has below-average play strength. When lined up against press coverage, he struggles to fight through contact and stem his route. This often eliminates him from plays because the ball is released by the time he escapes. His below average strength also makes him a liability when blocking because he struggles to hold his ground.
The final concern that I have surrounds his ability to make catches through contact. As I mentioned earlier, he will likely play in the slot. This means he will be forced to make catches in the middle of the field while getting hit. If he is not able to consistently do so, I am unsure if he will see the field outside of special teams.
Demario Douglas Draft Stock
Many other scouting sites like nflmockdraftdatabase have Douglas going in the 7th round. After seeing how shifty and fast he is, I think he could be a good pick in the 5th round. He would be best fit for a team that is looking to improve their special teams while adding receiver depth.
Final Thoughts on Demario Douglas Scouting Report
Overall, Demario Douglas is an underrated receiver prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. Douglas shows good mechanics prior to the snap by keeping his legs and backfoot loaded. This allows him to explode off the snap and quickly stem his route. When reaching the top of his route stem, he can use several moves to manipulate the opposing DB’s hips. He can then take off in another direction, leaving them in the dust. After making a catch, he does a good job of making defenders miss in open space. The biggest concern that I have surrounding his game is his lack of size and strength.
Demario Douglas Player Comparison
When watching his film, the one player he reminded me of the most was Trent Taylor from the Cincinnati Bengals. Ever since he was drafted, Taylor has been primarily used on special teams. However, he does occasionally line up in the slot on specific play calls. This is the role that I believe Douglas will have in the NFL.
Demario Douglas Scouting Report and Player Profile – Matthew Lewis
