Caleb Downs earned 1st-Team Associated Press All-American honors in both 2024 and 2025 and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Back of the Year and 1st-Team All-Big Ten in 2025 after recording 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in 14 starts at Ohio State while winning the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy. He previously started all 16 games for Ohio State’s national championship team in 2024, earning 1st-Team All-American honors with 81 tackles and two interceptions. Downs began his career at Alabama in 2023, earning 2nd-Team Associated Press All-American honors and SEC Freshman of the Year after leading the team with 107 tackles. He finished his collegiate career with 256 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, six interceptions and three forced fumbles.

Caleb Downs’ Combine Results

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 206 | Arms: 30 1/4 | Hands: 9 1/2

40-yard Dash: DNP | 10-yard Split: DNP | Vertical Jump: DNP

Broad Jump: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: DNP

Caleb Downs is the #9 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 2.0 (SAF1) and is Bucky Brooks’ top-ranked safety on his By Position 1.0. Downs did not participate in athletic testing at at the 2026 Combine but measured similarly to Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu.

Lance Zierlein on Caleb Downs:

“Productive, high-effort safety with three years of starting experience in big games at Alabama and Ohio State. Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice on each snap. He’s at his best when deployed near the line as a box safety or big nickel back. He’ll gamble a little bit as a run defender, but he makes more than enough disruptive plays near the line of scrimmage to make up for it. He’s fluent in man or zone over the first two levels and is rarely fooled by play-action or misdirection. While he’s quick to close and strike underneath, there are hints of caution that prevent him from making more plays on the football. Downs isn’t the biggest, fastest or most versatile player, but he consistently puts his stamp on games.”

Caleb Downs’ Full 2026 NFL Draft Profile