UTSA wide receiver Joshua Cephus has been trending in the right direction for the past few months, getting ready for the NFL Draft. Most projections have the receiver as the Day 3 selection. Cephus participated at the Hula Bowl and the Shrine Bowl and ran a 4.58 40-yard dash at his Pro Day.
In five seasons at UTSA, he recorded 313 catches for 3,639 yards and 28 touchdowns. He earned All-Conference USA awards and rarely had any drops with PFF, which charged him with only a 3% drop rate.
Cephus recently spoke with The Patriots Beat about his ability to translate his college game to the NFL level, his mentality playing in the All-Star games, and the pre-draft process.
How was your experience playing in the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl, and what were some of your takeaways from both games?
Especially the East-West Shrine Bowl. It was the total NFL experience. NFL coaches gave great feedback on what I needed to do to sustain a long career. The players were typically better than the conference I’ve been in. I feel like I’m just as good as any of those players. The whole experience was great. Full of great talent. I haven’t been able to push myself against talent. Because of Conference USA, I couldn’t push myself the way I wanted. I know I deserve to have a chance to compete on the biggest stage.
What was your mentality playing in these All-Star games?
I wanted to show I can be one of those guys. I could have transferred to any of those schools but stayed put. I wanted to prove I could play against Power 5 talent at these games.
During your career, you were known for your great hands. According to Pro Football Focus, you were charged with only nine drops on 433 targets (2.8% drop rate). Have you always had good hands?
Well, playing baseball growing up helped. I’ll say a little ball going 90 mph at your body is harder to see and catch than a big football going 50 mph. That helped. Plays a part in my eye-hand coordination. I’ve played baseball since I was four, all the way to senior year. Baseball was a sport I loved and put time into, and itwas a huge part of my life. I also played track in high school, won the district in middle school, and never lost a track meet in high school (besides states).
There’s a lot of love for your game. Do you have any visits scheduled?
Yes sir. I had my first one with the Texans yesterday, and I’m in the process of getting more scheduled.
Do you have a favorite route to run?
I feel comfortable running a lot of routes. I like the comeback it’s a fun route to run. And a sell when you get a vertical and put your foot in the ground 10-12 yards deep. You also can’t go wrong with the post
You played quarterback in high school. How did the transition to recciver go and do you feel you have a better understanding of the game?
I don’t think it was a hard transition. It’s what my team [in high school] needed for succes. We didn’t have a top athlete at receiver but we did have a young quarterback and I wanted to win. So I moved to recciver and let the young quarterback take over.
If a NFL team drafts you, who are they getting as a person?
They’re getting a leader. Someone who knows how to take care of their body. Somebody to push my teammates. Work the hardest. Genuine and transparent person. Everything I said before. Weather that’s me giving feedback. Positive or negative. I’m willing to answer
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
