\n It\u2019s that time of year. <\/p>\n
\n\tThis week, Caleb Downs<\/a> became the latest NFL draft prospect to see his stock come into question\u00a0after Daft on Draft\u2019s Cory Kinnan<\/a> reported that the two-time unanimous All-American defensive back was flagged at the NFL Scouting Combine<\/a> with a partially torn meniscus and \u201ca potentially degenerative ACL.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tOn Tuesday, Pat McAfee addressed the report\u00a0on The Pat McAfee Show, pushing back on the claim after conducting his own follow-up.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tWe reached out to multiple NFL teams about Caleb Downs this morning..<\/p>\n They told us that there is NOTHING in the medical that would deter them from brining him in #PMSLive<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4TSopny8aU<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 3, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n\t\u201cCaleb Downs, there\u2019s a report coming out, and who knows what\u2019s real and what isn\u2019t, but we do know that even the people that aren\u2019t considered real, if their s\u2014 generates enough traffic it does become a topic of conversation for people around the league, especially if it involves somebody who was deemed a Hall of Famer the first day they were on campus at Alabama,\u201d McAfee said.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe reached out to the Downs family, and the Downs family immediately sent us to a \u2018Suit.\u2019 Sent a thumbs up, never gonna do that. So then we go to a couple of NFL teams and we tried to do a little follow-up on what we have heard. Multiple NFL teams have told us there is nothing in the medical that would deter us from bringing Caleb Downs in, especially with how great of a football player he is.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tMcAfee, who acknowledged he fell for an AI-altered image<\/a> of Lorenzo Styles Sr. posing with Sonny and Lorenzo Jr. on Monday, reiterated that draft season is prime time for rumors.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWho knows what’s real and what isn\u2019t, but we do know that this (report) kind of made its run on the internet,\u201d McAfee said. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t one NFL team we talked to this morning that said anything was wrong, and we talked to multiple. This feels like it\u2019s all bulls\u2014, but this is kind of the name of the game in this time.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tThere is no significant concern with his knee..<\/p>\n The stock of Caleb Downs will not drop because of any medical #PMSLive<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/EGfloGJoaq<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/hFxzU3Ooai<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 3, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n\tMcAfee\u00a0added that even if Kinnan received the information from an NFL team, it could be part of a broader strategy \u2014 a franchise that \u201cmay like him the most\u201d attempting to nudge Downs down the board.\n<\/p>\n \n\tDowns, who did not participate in workouts at the combine, remains a projected top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. In ESPN\u2019s latest mock draft<\/a>, released nearly 48 hours after Kinnan\u2019s report, analyst Jordan Reid projected the Washington Commanders to select Downs with the No. 7 overall pick.\n<\/p>\n\n
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