Ohio State Buckeyes: Projected Top 10 Pick Shuts Down Injury Concerns

Cory Kinnan of Daft on Draft reported on March 2 that Caleb Downs was flagged with a partially torn meniscus and a potentially degenerative ACL during medical evaluations at the NFL Combine. The following day, ESPN’s Pat McAfee reached out to multiple NFL teams regarding Downs’ knee and whether it would impact his draft stock. The teams indicated there were no significant health concerns and that it would not affect his draft stock. Kinnan has since deleted his post.

Ohio State’s projected top 10 pick shuts down injury concerns

Caleb Downs took part in Ohio State’s Pro Day on March 25, performing defensive back positional drills, skipping athletic testing, and appearing healthy. When asked about the rumored issues with his knee, including a partially torn meniscus and a potentially degenerative ACL, he denied the concerns, referencing Pat McAfee’s report. Downs also stated that his medical evaluation did not indicate any such problems.

“They already answered it,” Downs said, via Jaron May of WLWT. “Pat McAfee put out a statement about it. That’s not what my medical says. That is what it is. I don’t really know who gave him that information, whoever that dude is, but it is what it is. So, I mean, just continue to do me. I can’t control what people say.”