Joseph West has been overshadowed by other receivers at UTEP since joining the Miners in 2002, but he came into his own as a flanker during his senior season. With the size that teams look for in a possession receiver, he also shows good quickness to get into his routes and is grabbing the attention of evaluators.

West's athletic ability seems to be a family trait. His brother, Tracy Thorpe, is a right-handed pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, having been selected in the 11th round of the 2000 draft. His cousin, Mark West, was a center at Old Dominion who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1983 NBA Draft, finishing his career in 1999-2000 with the Phoenix Suns. His uncle, Doug West, was a shooting guard at Villanova and also selected in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft by Minnesota, staying with that team until he was traded to Vancouver in 1997.

West was rated the 75th-best player in the state of Texas by Super Prep and earned first- team All-District 10-5A honors as a senior at Garland Lakeview Centennial High School. He was also named team Special Teams MVP, as he had 48 catches for 430 yards with four touchdowns that year. He also had two kickoff returns for scores, including a 98-yard runback.

As a junior, West made 37 catches for 511 yards and two touchdowns. The three-year letter-winner in football, he also lettered in basketball and track. He earned second-team All-District honors as a junior and was named to the All-Tournament team at the Lobo Tournament his freshman hoops season. In track, he competed in the 200- and 1600-meter relay and high jump. He placed third in the district in the high jump as a freshman.

West was sidelined for the 2002 season with a fractured ankle and did not attend school. He joined Texas-El Paso in 2003, appearing in nine games as a true freshman. He finished with 64 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions (10.7-yard average). The coaching staff decided to redshirt West in 2004 to further his development.

He returned to the varsity in 2005, starting five of 12 games at flanker. He managed to grab 19 passes for 246 yards (12.9-yard average) and a pair of touchdowns. He also returned one kickoff for 21 yards. The following season, he started nine of 12 games. He ranked fifth on the squad with 27 receptions for 496 yards (18.4 avg) and three scores.

As a senior, West received All-Conference USA honorable mention. He finished third on the team with a career-high 41 catches for 734 yards (17.9-yard average) from the flanker position and scored six times.

Positives: Has rare size necessary to be an NFL receiver working underneath … Possesses above-average strength for his position, but needs to use it more consistently when attempting to defeat the jam or gain position as a blocker … Has decent speed to get to the flats, but is best served on short-area routes (lacks suddenness to elude and fails to use his timed speed to get a quick release) … Adequate in and out of his cuts, but needs to do a better job creating lanes off the snap … Has enough acceleration to close the cushion vs. second-level defenders (not as good against secondary types) … Not really explosive with his leaping, but has good timing and large hands, along with the reach to get to the ball at its high point … Has the strength to power through the press (just needs to gain confidence in using it more often) … Exhibits good hands, adequate foot quickness and change of direction in short-area routes … Has some ability to accelerate, gather and drop his weight when working underneath … Knows how to get open in the zone, as he has adequate instincts (must improve coverage recognition) … Working in the short routes, he has enough shake to lose a linebacker … Has better discipline and hand placement when he high points the ball rather than tracking it over his head … Does not use it often, but has the ability to power his way through contact … Still a work in progress, but as a senior, he was better able to drop his weight and separate with adequate shake … Big target for the quarterback going over the middle and shows good courage fighting for jump balls (his concentration lapses get him in trouble) … Can extend and catch downfield, but is not going to be able to win many foot races … Best when he locates the soft spots vs. zone and find windows to sit down in coverage … Is stiff in his hips, but has adequate ability to secure the ball along the boundary … Not always consistent, but can gather at the top of his route and has the frame needed to absorb punishment working in traffic … Shows good hands, catching the ball well away from his body, but does revert to trapping it … Better breaking tackles with his leg drive rather than trying to shake-and-bake the opponent.

Negatives: Needs to be more sudden in and out of his cuts and must be more precise running routes, as he tends to drift, especially in long patterns … Despite his weight-room strength, he struggles to get a clean release vs. the press and needs to be more active with his hands to gain separation … Has adequate change-of-direction agility, but is a little too stiff to come out of his breaks cleanly … Must become more creative when trying to con the defender, as he fails to consistently ride up on his opponent and eat up the cushion … Has decent timed speed, but is a one-cut runner at best, failing to elude defenders in the open field … Has much better speed without his equipment (does not carry his pads well) … Must improve his concentration working in a crowd, as he loses focus on the ball when he hears the defender closing … Can reach and pluck the ball at its high point, but most of his drops come when he traps the ball … With his upper-body strength, he should generate a stronger hand punch and lock on better when asked to block in-line … Will make an effort to cut block, but lacks a good concept for taking angles when stalking second-level defenders (instincts are missing) … Has marginal body control, as he struggles to adjust to off-target throws … Will run into the defender rather than attempt to elude after the catch (needs to be more alert to coverage) … Even with his timed speed, he lacks quickness out of his stance and does not gain ground often … Best when used on short-area routes, as he lacks the burst to gain yards after the catch … Knows how to get open in the zone, but struggles in man coverage … Might have a vision problem, as he struggles to locate screens.

Compares To: DAVID GIVENS-ex-Tennessee … West is a strong, well-built player, but does not utilize that power as a blocker or to defeat the press. He is best when used on short-area routes, but is a bit stiff in his hips and struggles at times to secure the screen pass. He is an inviting target over the middle and will compete for the ball at its high point, but will lose his focus on the ball when he hears the defender's feet. Like Givens, he needs to be used more as a zone receiver than be isolated one-on-one with a defender. His athletic ability will get him drafted quicker than will his production.

2002: Did not attend school while recovering from a broken ankle.

Campus: 4.5 in the 40-yard dash … 352-pound bench press … 400-pound squat … 264-pound power clean … 36 ½-inch vertical jump … 9'8" broad jump … 33-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands … Right-handed … 12/41 Wonderlic score.

Combine: 4.57 in the 40-yard dash … 1.53 10-yard dash … 2.62 20-yard dash … 4.33 20-yard shuttle …

11.66 60-yard shuttle … 6.96 three-cone drill … 32-inch vertical jump … 9'5" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times.

Attended Garland (Tex.) Lakeview Centennial High School, playing football for head coach Gary Risin … Rated the 75th-best player in the state of Texas by Super Prep and earned first-team All-District 10-5A honors as a senior … Named team Special Teams MVP, as he had 48 catches for 430 yards with four touchdowns that year … Had two kickoff returns for scores, including a 98-yard runback … As a junior, West made 37 catches for 511 yards and two touchdowns … The three-year letter-winner in football, he also lettered in basketball and track … Earned second-team All-District honors as a junior and was named to the All-Tournament team at the Lobo Tournament his freshman hoops season … In track, he competed in the 200-, 1600-meter relay and high jump … Placed third in the district in the high jump as a freshman.

Multidisciplinary Studies major … Brother, Tracy Thorpe, is a right-handed pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, having been selected in the 11th round of the 2000 draft by that organization … Cousin, Mark West, was a center at Old Dominion and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1983 NBA Draft, finishing his career in 1999-2000 with the Phoenix Suns … Uncle, Doug West, was a shooting guard at Villanova and also selected in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft by Minnesota, staying with that team until he was traded to Vancouver in 1997 … Son of Loretta Prince and Joe Davis West, Sr … Born Joseph Davis West, Jr., on 2/01/84 in Melbourne, Florida … Resides in Garland, Texas.