Josh Cameron is a 6’1, 218-pound wide receiver from the University of Baylor. He earned a walk-on opportunity with the Bears as a 0-star recruit. Following his redshirt in 2021, Josh took advantage of his opportunities as a wide receiver and punt returner. In 2024, he was 1st Team All-Big 12 as a wide receiver and a 2nd Team All-American punt returner. He started in 13 games with 52 receptions, 754 yards, 10 touchdowns, and returned 14 punts for 290 yards (20.7 yards per return). In his final collegiate season, he started in 12 games with 69 catches, 872 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He led the team in receiving when all the hype was focused on their tight end, Michael Trigg, coming into the season. Josh is someone who dealt with adversity and never gave up. He is someone I have a ton of respect for. I evaluated his film against Utah, Houston, and Arizona, as they were good defenses in the Big 12 Conference.
Athletically, Josh has a unique build. When I watch the tape, his body looks like that of a running back, not a wide receiver. That is a credit to his big frame at nearly 220 pounds. His height is average for an outside receiver, but his big frame gives him vigorous potential. He stayed healthy after he suffered a gruesome leg injury in high school. I believe durability was a factor when Baylor’s coaching staff named Josh their starting receiver and punt returner. Against Utah, he puts his strength on full display and plays through contact. His acceleration needs to be improved. He can get some yards after the catch, but he doesn’t have breakaway speed to take it the distance.
Mentally, Josh is a true competitor. He played in an Air Raid offense. This complex offense is designed to spread the field with multiple receivers in different formations. It was hard for Baylor to compete offensively when their quarterback, Sawyer Robinson, missed a lot of open receivers and turned the ball over. Josh has competitive stamina from start to finish. He made clutch plays in difficult situations to keep his team in the game. One of which was on a 4th-and-10 play against Houston. He made a double move and scored a touchdown with 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter to tie the game. This was impressive as Houston led the entire game until that point. Another was on a 4th and goal play against a Utah defense that wasn’t giving up an inch on the goal line. Since Utah was keyed in on stopping the run, they sent Josh in motion and created a natural rub to get him open in the flat for the touchdown. Even though Baylor couldn’t keep up with Utah, Josh made plays and fought till the end.
Josh recognizes off-man coverage and knows how to attack their leverage. However, he often struggled to get separation against press man and bracket coverage. He doesn’t have a good release. His footwork is very choppy and robotic. As a short strider, he lacks burst and fluidity. He doesn’t use any hand-fighting or stop-swipe techniques to combat physical defensive backs. This can be improved upon with coaching. While he doesn’t have a fully polished route tree, Josh runs a series of hitches, comebacks, digs, whips, screens, double moves, bang 8s, fades, and natural rubs. Whenever Robinson was under pressure, Josh ran a scramble drill with his quarterback, serving as an outlet downfield. While tight coverage caused some drops and lapses in concentration, Josh shows enough consistency to be a possession receiver. If properly placed, he can also track the ball and maintain control, even in tight spaces. The 50/50 balls were hit or miss, given the fact that he doesn’t have a high catch radius.
I would’ve liked to have seen more from Josh as a blocker, given his physical profile. Baylor ran a lot of R.P.O in their Air Raid offense. It can be hard for receivers to run block in R.P.O situations. They don’t always know whether their quarterback will hand the ball off or play-action pass. When there isn’t an R.P.O called, Josh is a step slow to block at times. I saw some hesitation on film that appeared to be him trying to avoid an illegal block in the back or a holding penalty. When engaged, his initial punch and hand placement are solid. There just needs to be more development in his position blocking and having the confidence to drive his man.
Scheme and Team Fit
There aren’t a lot of teams that run Air Raid concepts in the NFL. Josh may need some time to adjust to pro-style concepts. While Josh played minimally in the slot, his talent should be utilized on the perimeter as an X or Z in 3 – 4 wide receiver sets.
Every team is looking for a big receiver that can move the chains and score touchdowns, which I think makes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers an ideal fit for Josh. Mike Evans has moved on to the 49ers, and Chris Godwin isn’t a long-term solution for the Buccaneers anymore. They need more depth on the outside. Their coaching staff also has a track record of developing receivers.
NFL Player Comparison: Treylon Burks
Burks was a 6’2, 225-pound wide receiver prospect who ran a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. I think his measurables and traits are similar to Josh’s.
Projection: Role Player
Josh can immediately make an impact on special teams. As a receiver, he needs to adjust to the physicality and schematics of NFL defenses. While I don’t see him as a day 1 starter, he has a track record of progressing throughout his career. He will work hard to have a defined role.
Grade and Round Projection:
I gave Josh a 3.8 grade with a curve (3.71 initial), projecting him as a late-day 2 or early-day 3 selection in the NFL Draft.
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