2026 NFL Prospect: Ohio State’s Caleb Downs

Caleb Downs, a safety for the Ohio State Buckeyes, might be the best safety prospect to enter the draft since Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton. While he might play more like former Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu than Hamilton, Downs will end up being chosen in the top ten at next year’s draft. 

Downs started his collegiate career at Alabama, and in his freshman year, he led the team in tackles, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. But after legendary coach Nick Saban retired, Downs transferred to Columbus, and his performance didn’t skip a beat. In 2024, he recorded 34 tackles and tallied 3 passes defended, earning All-American honors. At the end of the year, he was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. 

Strengths

Downs brings both size and athleticism to his position. Measuring in at 6 feet and 205 lbs, Downs can body up larger receivers or play down in the box, helping in the run game. He’s an exceptional tackler and has the instincts of a true ball hawk in the passing game. With a high football IQ, Downs reads opposing offenses well, forcing quarterbacks to look away from him regularly. And with his 4.40 time in the forty, he can play man-to-man coverage when pressed into service. On film, Downs is in the right position all of the time and can be a game-wrecking playmaker. He’s heady with pro-ready instincts and can get to the ball on every down. 

And don’t forget—Downs has football in his genes. Many readers are familiar with his brother, Josh Downs, a veteran receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, but his father, Gary, also played for several NFL franchises throughout his career. 

Weaknesses

In truth, Downs has few weaknesses. Some scouts label him as overaggressive, but much of that comes from his instincts and athleticism. Until he gets to the NFL, he’s rarely challenged at the collegiate level and relies on his superior talent and football IQ to play that way. 

However, Downs will need to improve his ability to disengage with stronger offensive linemen in run situations. He’s big enough to play the run effectively but has struggled at the point of attack against bigger blockers. 

Projection

Draft Nation expects Caleb Downs to go off the board in the top ten, if not the top five of next year’s draft. It’s early, but when all is said and done, many mocks will have Downs as their second or third-best prospect in the 2026 Draft and many will predict him to be the first defensive player off the board.