Josh Conerly Jr.

OVERVIEW

 Josh Conerly Jr. possesses the athleticism and technical prowess necessary to excel as an NFL offensive tackle. His elite foot speed and lateral agility make him a formidable pass protector, while his high motor and conditioning enable him to play at a high level for the full sixty. With room to add mass and enhance his upper body strength, Conerly has some serious upside. However, Conerly needs to address his negatives, particularly his grip strength and ability to anchor against power rushers, as well as his overall impact in the run game where he is a little lacking. His tendency to play too high and occasional lapses in awareness are areas for improvement. As Conerly enters his junior year, NFL scouts will be watching closely to see if he can take the next step in his development. A strong 2024 season could solidify his status as a top draft prospect, with the potential to be a first-round pick.

 

 BACKGROUND

Josh Conerly Jr. hails from Seattle, Washington, where he was a standout at Rainier Beach High School. A consensus five-star recruit, he earned numerous accolades including a second-team MaxPreps All-American and ScorebookLive Washington Offensive Lineman of the Year. Conerly played running back before transitioning to the offensive line, showcasing his versatility and athleticism. He also excelled in basketball, adding to his athletic profile. At Oregon, Conerly made an immediate impact. As a freshman in 2022, he appeared in 13 games, playing key roles in short-yardage and goal-line situations. By his sophomore year in 2023, he started all 14 games at left tackle, earning All-Pac-12 honorable mention. Conerly played 901 snaps, allowing only one sack and 17 pressures over 511 pass-blocking opportunities. In high school, Conerly led Rainier Beach to multiple state playoff victories, showcasing his leadership and ability to elevate his team's performance. His transition from running back to offensive lineman reflects his adaptability and football IQ. With a strong foundation in both football and basketball, Conerly's athleticism and technical skills have positioned him as a top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.

ANALYSIS

 PROS

Elite foot speed, enabling seamless pass protection and efficient second-level blocking. Powerful punch with long arms, providing excellent initial contact in pass sets. Exceptional lateral agility and lower body quickness to mirror edge rushers. Nimble footwork, maintaining balance and agility in pass protection. High football IQ, consistently aware of assignments and positioning. Excellent overall as a pass blocker - looks natural in his stance High motor and conditioning, contributing to sustained effort throughout games. Effective in executing combo blocks and climbing to the second level.

 CONS 

 :  Needs to enhance upper body strength to improve grip and locking in defenders. Tends to play too high in his sets, compromising his leverage, and can sometimes look out of place as a run blocker Inconsistent hand placement and grip strength. Struggles to anchor against power rushers, leading to instability. Prone to penalties, committing eight in 2023.

 HISTORY -- From College bio

As A Sophomore (2023)
» Coaches All-Pac-12 honorable mention
 
Started all 14 games as left tackle for the Ducks as a sophomore, leading the team with 901 total offensive snaps played … Earned all-Pac-12 honorable mention recognition by the league’s coaches … Anchor of an Oregon offensive line that led the nation with just five sacks allowed, and tied for third nationally with just 44.0 tackles for loss allowed … Allowed just one sack and 17 total pressures in 511 pass-blocking opportunities, earning a 78.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus … Received a pass-blocking grade of 75.0 or better from PFF in 10 of 14 games, including each of the final six contests … Helped lead a UO attack that led the nation in passing offense (346.9 YPG) while ranking second in scoring offense (44.2 PPG), second in total offense (531.4 YPG) and 30th in rushing offense (184.5 YPG) … Oregon also led the nation with a 91.5 team pass-blocking grade from PFF … Helped Oregon rush for at least 200 yards in six of the first seven games to open the season, and at least 100 yards in all 14 games … Oregon allowed zero sacks in 10 of 14 games, and just one sack total in the final eight games of the season … vs. Portland State (Sept. 2): Did not surrender a pressure while helping Oregon rush for a season-high 348 yards and set the modern-day program record for points with 81 … at Texas Tech (Sept. 9): Earned an 83.9 pass-blocking grade from PFF in Oregon’s comeback road win … vs. Hawai’i (Sept. 16): Allowed zero pressure while receiving an 86.8 pass-blocking grade … vs. California (Nov. 4): Season-best 89.3 pass-blocking grade from PFF, allowing zero pressures in 42 opportunities … First of six straight games to close the season with a pass-blocking grade of 75.0 or better … vs. USC (Nov. 11): 80.6 pass-blocking grade and second straight game with zero pressures allowed … vs. No. 3 Washington (Dec. 1): Allowed just two pressures and earned an 80.3 pass-blocking grade in the Pac-12 Championship Game … vs. No. 23 Liberty (Jan. 1): Closed the season with just one pressure allowed in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

As A Freshman (2022)
Appeared in all 13 games for the Ducks as a true freshman, playing 118 total snaps on offense and 60 on special teams … Established a role as an extra offensive lineman in jumbo packages, particularly in short-yardage and goal-line situations … Caught a touchdown pass in Oregon’s win at Colorado (Nov. 5) … Did not allow a pressure in 27 pass-blocking opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus … A key depth piece on an Oregon offensive line that led the nation with just five sacks allowed, the fewest allowed by a non-triple option team in a full season since 2015 … UO also tied for 12th in the nation with just 52.0 tackles for loss allowed … Helped the Ducks finish as the only team in the nation in the top 20 for both rushing offense (12th, 215.77 YPG) and passing offense (17th, 284.8 YPG) … Oregon rushed for at least 100 yards in 12 of 13 games with seven games of 200-plus yards and three of 300-plus … vs. Eastern Washington (Sept. 10): Played 25 snaps at left tackle as Oregon amassed 604 yards of offense and set a program record with 40 first downs … Earned a season-high 80.5 pass-blocking grade from PFF … at Arizona (Oct. 8): Played a season-high 26 offensive snaps, 22 at left tackle, while helping the Ducks rush for seven touchdowns, the program’s most since 2017 and most vs. an FBS team since 2012 … at Colorado (Nov. 5): Caught a four-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, joining Brady Aiello (2019) as the only Oregon offensive linemen since 1996 to record a TD reception … Just the fifth Oregon offensive lineman since 1996 with a reception in a game … One of just two FBS offensive linemen in 2022 to catch a touchdown pass, along with Colorado’s Frank Fillip … Played nine offensive snaps, earning a season-high 77.1 overall grade from PFF.

High School
A consensus five-star recruit and top-35 player nationally … The consensus top recruit in Washington … A top-15 player nationally by 247Sports (No. 8) and in the 247 composite (No. 15) … The No. 30 recruit in the nation according to ESPN and No. 31 according to Rivals … A consensus top-three offensive tackle nationally … The top OT prospect according to 247Sports … No. 2 OT in the 247 composite and No. 3 OT by ESPN and Rivals … Selected for both the All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl … An Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year Finalist … A four-year letterwinner at Rainier Beach High School … As a senior, named a second-team MaxPreps All-American … ScorebookLive first-team All-State pick … Earned ScorebookLive Washington Offensive Lineman of the Year honors … Helped Rainier Beach go 6-4 with a 3-2 record in the 3A Metro League … Led the Viking offense to a pair of state playoff wins, scoring at least 28 points in both games en route to the state quarterfinals … Paved the way for Rainier Beach to rush for 135 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-0 win over Mt. Tahoma … Opened up holes for Viking runners to total 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground against Ballard … Preseason MaxPreps All-American … Named to the MaxPreps Preseason All-State team … Co-MVP at the National Preps Collegiate Showcase … As a junior, an all-league choice in the 3A Metro League … Helped Rainier Beach pile up 121 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground in a 21-6 win over Lakeside … Transitioned from running back to offensive line as a sophomore … As a freshman, played running back for the Vikings, helping the team go 6-4-1 including a trip to the state playoffs … Contributed to an offense that scored 36.8  points per game in the team’s five wins … Also recruited by Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Boise State, BYU, California, Colorado, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington and Washington State … Coached by Corey Sampson.

2022

receiving
REC	YPR	TD	LONG	YDS
1.0	4.0	1.0	4.0	4.0