Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II confirms he has a unique connection to potential top-10 pick Caleb Downs, who may be a target for the Bengals in the 2026 NFL Draft. <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOct 16, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II (20) gestures toward his bench as he walks off the field with an apparent injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Paycor Stadium.
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Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II\u2019s college career at Michigan directly pitted him against Ohio State, but he\u2019s tight with one of the best Buckeyes in the entire 2026 NFL Draft. <\/p>\n
In an interview with Ari Meirov<\/a>, Turner revealed he knows OSU safety Caleb Downs<\/a> well as he played high school football with Josh Downs<\/a>, Caleb\u2019s older brother.<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah, for sure. I mean, I talk to Josh all the time. That\u2019s my dog for real.\u201d Turner said. \u201cAnd Caleb went to Mill Creek [High School], he was a little bit younger than me, but of course, you know, I know Caleb for sure. I\u2019ve been following him all the way from Bama. From Mill Creek to Bama to Ohio State for sure.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s family, for real. The whole family, that\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n The hometowns of Turner and Downs are about 20 miles apart northeast of Atlanta, GA. Should Downs get drafted by the Bengals, they\u2019d only be a few yards away on every play when Cincinnati\u2019s on defense. <\/p>\n Leveraging that pre-existing connection is a potential advantage the Bengals have over other teams that could draft Downs, and it would surely please one of the best players on the roster.<\/p>\n The A to Z Sports NFL mock draft simulator offers a deeply customizable and data-driven experience with never-before-seen features.\u00a0Try the mock draft simulator today,<\/a>\u00a0before the 2026 NFL Draft arrives.<\/p>\n Caleb Downs would already have a chemistry advantage teaming up with DJ Turner II<\/p>\n Communication is so critical in the secondary. It\u2019s not too dissimilar to the offensive line, in which one mishap from one player can lead to a massive play for the opposition. <\/p>\n Downs and Turner may not have played with one another, as they are almost exactly four years apart, but knowing each other very well with Josh Downs as the common link gives them unique insight into one another. Their existing relationship could seamlessly transition into a professional relationship.<\/p>\n As good of a player in college as he was, Downs will be a rookie wherever he ends up. Trust in first-year players is hard to come by. Turner may have more trust playing next to Downs than most other rookies in that situation. <\/p>\n It\u2019s not Turner\u2019s call to make, and there are more important factors that would go into the decision to draft Downs if he is available at the No. 10 pick. The concept of putting Downs into a secondary with someone he\u2019s known for a while, however, is a lever only Cincinnati can pull.<\/p>\n
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