Caleb Downs has received first-round premonitions from the general consensus ever since he set foot on Alabama’s campus as a five-star recruit. An instant producer at the CFB level, Downs was a star for the Crimson Tide defense in 2023, and then for Ohio State’s Championship-caliber unit in 2024 and 2025. Downs’ raw production underwhelms in comparison to his prestige, but don’t let that fool you: On film, he’s one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, and is a blue-chip player in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
A fluid, explosive, and energized mover at 6’0”, 205 pounds, Downs is special in the box with his combined mobility, play pace, angle IQ, and physicality on blocks. He’s an expert at running alleys, scraping through contact, and securing solo tackles, and his instant reaction-to-stimulus ensures he’s always responsive on plays. And while his raw production in coverage makes him easy to overlook in space, his coverage game is just as exhilarating.
Downs is an uber-instinctive cover man who can swiftly process route combinations, manage route relationships, transition with ease, and clamp down on stems from different alignments. He’s the consummate “glue guy”, with a cosmic football IQ and the versatility to play two-high, single-high, in the box as a rover, and even as a big-nickel in off-man and zone. Positional value will be discussed with Downs, but regardless, he has all the hallmarks of a future All-Pro who makes a defense better.