NFL Draft Profile: Demario Douglas, Wide Receiver, Liberty Flames
Demario Douglas
Liberty Flames
#3
Pos: WR
Ht: 5077
Wt: 179
Hand: 0868
Arm: 3028
Wing: 7248
40: 4.44
DOB: 12/8/2000
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
High School: Mandarin
Eligibility: 2023
One Liner:
Demario Douglas has shiftiness and speed that pop off the screen when watching him play, making him an intriguing prospect to monitor.
Evaluation:
Everytime Demario Douglas plays football, his agility is the first thing that pops out. He has very good footwork within small areas that keeps defenders guessing where he wants to go. Douglas also has a great knack of anticipating defenders attacking him, as he routinely evades tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. Douglas has game breaking acceleration and speed which he displays every time defenses give him soft coverage at the line and no safety help over the top. Even if he is not the most technical route runner, Douglas excels at shaking defenders off of him in open space and finding an open crease to make a big play.Thanks to his game breaking speed and agility, He can be used at several different spots on the field, including the backfield. Douglas has been tasked with a bigger role on his team each year during his college career, and every year he has improved not only from a production standpoint, but as a receiver and overall playmaker as well. Douglas has shown the ability to be a threat as a kick returner and punt returner, scoring 2 punt return touchdowns in 3 years as the team’s primary returner. If all else fails for Douglas at the next level, he will have an impact on special teams with his ability to create plays using his athleticism.
Douglas’s greatest limitation is his size. Standing at 5’8, 165 pounds, you can find 8th graders that play wide receiver with more size than him. If Douglas does not want to be relegated as a kick/punt returner, it is necessary for him to put on weight to withstand repeated hits from NFL defenders. Though he is one of the shiftiest prospects in this upcoming draft, Douglas often shifts into spaces that do not result in created yards. A lot of his plays look really cool for the highlights, but Douglas needs to improve his vision so he can use his talents to create more yards for himself. Douglas may not ever pan out to be a full-time NFL receiver, but he has the skill set and athleticism to create big plays should he improve on his weaknesses.
Grade:
UDFA
Quotes:
“Demario, oh my goodness, that guy would play anywhere in the ACC. That number three (Douglas), he is the closest thing to Greg Dortch that I have seen. We didn’t even want to kick to him. We started skying kicks. He is dangerous. We had contain set and he still outran it.” - Wake Forest Head Coach Dave Clawson
Background:
Demario Douglas is a returner for Liberty. In 2021, Douglas saw playing time in all 12 games, starting six contests at wide receiver. He led the Flames in receptions (52), receiving yards (701), and ranked second on Liberty’s roster with six touchdown receptions. He also ranked No. 33 in the country in punt return average (6.8) and No. 5 in the country in punt return touchdowns (1 – 72 yard punt return for a touchdown against North Texas). He received Paul Hornung Award watch list (most versatile player in college football), the VaSID All-State second-team selection (wide receiver), and Phil Steele Postseason All-Independent second team (wide receiver and punt returner). In high school, he also received offers from Chattanooga, FAU, Gardner-Webb, Tennessee-Martin, The Citadel, UAB and West Florida. He finished his senior season with 1,700 all-purpose yards, 1,300 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.
