Around this time in the NFL Draft process, all 32 NFL teams are beginning to bring in prospects on “Top 30 visits.”
As the name suggests, teams can bring in as many as 30 prospects into their headquarters to meet with them for an extended period. Teams can use these meetings to gain more information about character or medical, meet with players they may not have met with, or even as a smokescreen to show “interest” in players.
Normally, prospects expected to go early in the draft will set up a handful of these meetings, which can be a way to gauge who a team might be interested in.
If you’re North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs, things are a little bit different. According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Downs has no official visits set up.
A pre-draft rarity: #UNC WR Josh Downs, likely a Friday pick, has no official visits set up, source said.
A clean prospect from strong NFL bloodlines — his father Gary was a pro RB and his uncle Dre Bly was a pro CB for a decade — Downs has had a quiet process.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 6, 2023
As Rapoport mentioned, this is a pre-draft rarity. Downs is one of the better slot receivers in this class and should be selected within the first two days of the draft.
However, it might be a non-story. It’s possible that teams feel comfortable about their evaluation of Downs and don’t feel the need to bring him into the facility. It’s also possible that teams are trying to avoid showing their hand in terms of interest.
Downs is a quick and shifty wide receiver who can separate with the best of them. Across two seasons with the Tar Heels, Downs totaled 2,364 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns.
If the Vikings choose to address wide receiver early, Downs is likely a target on day two of the draft. However, there’s a good chance he’s available when the Vikings are on the clock in the late second round.
