From Folsom to the NFL: Packers draft Cincinnati tight end Josiah Deguara in 3rd round
The wait didn’t last as long as Josiah Deguara feared.
He’s in the NFL, a member of the Green Bay Packers.
With the 94th overall pick in the NFL draft, the former Folsom High School and Cincinnati Bearcats tight end on Friday night was selected in the third round by one of the most storied franchises in all of sports.
He celebrated in Natomas with his parents, Dean and Amy, and other family and friends.
Deguara is the latest Folsom player to reach the NFL, following safety Jordan Richards, a second-round pick out of Stanford in 2015 to the New England Patriots and now with the Baltimore Ravens; tackle Jonah Williams, a first-rounder a year ago to the Cincinnati Bengals out of Alabama; and quarterback Jake Browning, an undrafted free-agent signee of the Minnesota Vikings last season.
Deguara, Browning and Williams were stars on Folsom’s 2014 CIF State championship team that is widely considered the best team in regional history.
Deguara went from two-star prospect at Folsom, where he played receiver/hybrid with two scholarship offers, to standout at Cincinnati. He impressed his college coaches with his hands, his blocking and his hustle.
He had 39 catches as a senior for 504 yards and seven touchdowns. He played in the Senior Bowl and led all tight ends in the bench press with 25 reps of 225 pounds.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 9:27 PM.