The Patriots’ latest draft meeting was with one of the top slot receivers in this year’s NFL Draft

The pre-draft meeting cycle around the NFL hit a bit of a lull over the last two weeks, as teams focused mainly on free agency. With the major signings in the books now though and the draft just a month away, the draft - and pre-draft meetings - are back in focus.

On Monday, North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs took part in his pro day, and spoke to reporters after. In his answers he confirmed he's met with 15-20 teams - including the Patriots.

Behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba of Ohio State, who is in the running to be the top receiver selected in next month's draft and the Patriots have also met with, Downs is considered by many to be the next pure slot receiver. He fits the Patriots' traditional prototype at the position as a smaller, very shifty player who is a high-level route runner and can create after the catch.

Downs is also very used to operating in a high-volume role. In 2021 he caught 101 passes for 1,335 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games, then followed that up by catching 94 passes for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

Finding a fit for Downs and the Patriots requires answering two questions. First - where would they draft him? The 14th overall pick would be a reach, and there's a chance Smith-Njigba would still be on the board. However it's unlikely he falls to 46th overall. The team would probably look to trade back in the first round, or more likely pull a trade like they did in 2021 and move up in the second round (that was how they drafted Christian Barmore).

The other question is where would Downs play in the Patriots' offense? He projects as purely a slot receiver in the NFL. Would he split time with JuJu Smith-Schuster? Or would the team play Smith-Schuster more on the boundary? Perhaps two-slot sets? Bill O'Brien would need to come up with something creative to get them both the snaps needed to justify Smith-Schuster's contract and Downs' high draft investment.

In total, we now know of at least six wide receivers the Patriots have had some form of pre-draft meetings with, from projected top-10 picks to Day 3 players. For a full list of their pre-draft meetings, check out our tracker here.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.