We’re tracking pre-draft visits for top prospects in the 2023 NFL draft, but one name we haven’t seen is that of North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs.
And that’s a name who hasn’t been on any team’s visit list: Downs doesn’t have a single visit scheduled, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
On the one hand, that’s surprising, as Downs is considered a solid prospect, going in the second round in most mock drafts. Usually that would earn a player some invitations for pre-draft visits.
On the other hand, it doesn’t necessarily mean teams aren’t interested in Downs. In fact, sometimes when a team has identified a player it hopes to draft, that team will make a specific point of not lining up a visit with him because the team fears that if its interest in the player becomes public, another team will trade up to draft him.
Downs was a first-team All-ACC wide receiver in both 2021 and 2022 at North Carolina. He’s the son of former NFL running back Gary Downs and the nephew of former NFL cornerback Dre Bly.