You know draft season is really starting to blossom when the great Dane Brugler of The Athletic drops his first mock draft of the season. He did just that on Wednesday and Cincinnati Bengals fans are going to love the player Brugler sent to Cincinnati in the first round.
That player is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Needless to say, the Bengals need talent at a number of positions, particularly on the defensive side of the football. One of those spots is the safety position. Geno Stone and Tycen Anderson are both free agents after the season. Safety isn’t typically a position that goes high in the draft anymore, but Downs is one of the best players and pure athletes in this upcoming class. If he falls to No. 10, as he does in this mock, the Bengals should be sprinting to the podium to select Downs.
Downs is one of the best players in this draft class, but a lot of teams — possibly including the Bengals — wouldn’t feel great drafting a safety in the top 10. That said, the Ohio State All-American would give Cincinnati a monumental talent upgrade on the back end and instantly help its defense develop a more disciplined culture. Don’t overthink this one, Bengals.
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Downs has 52 total tackles and two interceptions this season heading into the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana. He has been one of the best players in college football since arriving at Ohio State as a sophomore after transferring from Alabama.
Downs would give the Bengals a major boost in talent on defense and be a great chess piece for defensive coordinator Al Golden (or whoever is running the defense in 2026). Between his athleticism and instincts, Downs will make an immediate impact and help the Bengals start earning respect again on defense.
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