It is no secret that the top of this year’s NFL Draft rankings is filled with players who play non-premium positions. A running back is ranked as the top player in the class for some. Off-ball linebackers are tantalizing options for others. Then you have to consider safety near the top of the board as well.
That is exactly where the Kansas City Chiefs could be deciphering between for their first selection of this class. Kansas City has not taken a non-premium position with its first selection since running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire at 32nd overall in 2020. Afterward, they added three trench players, a wide receiver, and a cornerback during the following years in Round One.
If the Chiefs were to break that streak of taking a premium position with their first selection, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs may be the perfect fit to do so.
Safety position may get pushed up the board this year
Safeties have seen a drop down the draft board plenty of times in recent drafts. Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James were arguably better prospects than the draft slots in which they were picked. However, teams usually wait on those options. But in a class that is heavier on non-premium position talent, will the league alter course?
The Chiefs taking Downs is obviously dependent on how the first eight picks shake out. If Kansas City stays at nine overall, there is a world where a wide receiver or two is gone, along with the top few pass rushers. Downs may simply be the best player available when K.C. is on the clock.
Caleb Downs fits mold of prior Chiefs’ safeties
What makes Downs a true fit with the Chiefs? This regime has prioritized having instinctive players at safety. Tyrann Mathieu and Justin Reid played major roles in helping to lead the defense. Their words of wisdom, communication pre-snap, and mentality helped shape the Chiefs into their prime defensive years with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Downs is revered for his football IQ. The story of how he wowed Ohio State’s coaching staff while discussing football before transferring there from Alabama stands out immensely in this draft process. To boot, not many incoming players worked their way into starting on Nick Saban’s defense for the Crimson Tide. Downs was an exception to that trend and was described as an immediate star player when beginning his Alabama run.
Spagnuolo saw a defense last year that crumbled on third downs and in clutch situations. Incorporating better instincts into the group would pay massive dividends.
The lack of perceived athleticism is not a problem
Downs is not seen as the most athletic safety prospect in recent memory. But were Mathieu and Reid ever seen as athletic freaks, either? Kansas City does not appear hell-bent on having that aspect as a calling card for the position. Simply put, Downs is viewed as someone having one of the cleanest sets of film in the class.
Beyond his intelligence, Downs increases a team’s toughness and matchup options. His consistency as a tackler and variety of smart, yet harder, hits leave opposing skill players wanting no more. The matchup options could also create a force multiplier for Kansas City’s defense. Spagnuolo would have immense fun moving Downs around near the line of scrimmage and perhaps into the slot when not in his natural safety spot.
Those items would be appealing to the Chiefs for many reasons. It adds more teeth to a defense that lacked it last year. Downs’ makeup is also easily comparable to past pieces Spagnuolo relied on. For him, the non-premium position part should not be an area they overthink.
Chiefs making safe selection would still elevate defense in multiple ways
Downs is not the largest safety prospect. However, Price Carter detailed his coverage abilities in his draft profile of the Ohio State safety. The mix of fluidness and quick trigger ability that Carter hinted at more than makes up for any size questions. He can impact the run as well. But for a player who is going to be viewed more often against the pass, Downs may even be a better coverage player than Hamilton and James were coming out.
A non-premium pick will not be the most flashy for fans. Hoping to see the Chiefs hit a home run is one thing. A player like Downs and his tape is still smart and safe. He impacts the defense in more ways than one. Rather than swinging out of their shoes, Kansas City could do much worse than placing a ball in the fairway.
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