Cincinnati Bearcats Recruiting: Athlete Josiah Deguara Signs With UC

Athlete Josiah Deguara has officially signed with the Cincinnati Bearcats for their 2015 recruiting class.

Here’s a snippet from his full recruiting profile.

OVERVIEW

The first thing you notice about Deguara is that he plays on blue turf a la Boise State, which is point in my book. To his actual play, he’s definitely a ball-hawking receiver with instincts to pull in a pass no matter the cost. Deguara isn’t the tallest player but does his best to get full extension on his catches. Plus he has great hands, able to snag the ball with defensive backs draped all over him.

If there’s any knock on Deguara’s game it’s that he isn’t especially fleet of foot. He does a solid job with the ball in his hands but isn’t a smooth route runner, more inclined to try to simply sprint past a defender than run a crisp route. He’s certainly solid at the former but will need to refine this aspect of his game to be successful at the collegiate level. Additionally, his down field blocking needs work. Deguara has the strength to push around defenders but doesn’t always drive his feet and keep his hands inside to maintain maximum leverage.

OUTLOOK

Definitely a redshirt. Deguara is athletic for sure but needs to bulk up and could use some refinement as a blocker and route runner. But his stats speak for themselves. 1,671 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns and 3,274 catches for 42 touchdowns over his career are spectacular for a receiver at any level. I’m sure that’s what caught Darren Hiller and Eddie Gran’s eye. Deguara’s solid resume will earn him a spot on the roster but how he develops over the next few years at UC will determine how much playing time he receives.