{"id":873786,"date":"2026-04-24T20:18:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T20:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/873786\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T20:18:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T20:18:38","slug":"developed-here-caleb-downs-drafted-no-11-overall-by-dallas-cowboys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/873786\/","title":{"rendered":"Developed Here: Caleb Downs Drafted No. 11 Overall by Dallas Cowboys"},"content":{"rendered":"

PITTSBURGH \u2013\u00a0Ohio State\u00a0safety Caleb Downs<\/a>\u00a0was selected\u00a011th\u00a0overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night by the\u00a0Dallas Cowboys.\u00a0Overall, the Buckeyes now have\u00a099\u00a0first-round selections in program history, the most all time, and\u00a020\u00a0first-round picks in the Ryan Day<\/a> era (2019-present).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Downs’\u00a0selection\u00a0marked the\u00a0highest\u00a0an\u00a0Ohio\u00a0State safety\u00a0was drafted\u00a0since Malik Hooker went\u00a015th\u00a0overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2015.\u00a0Additionally, he became the\u00a0first\u00a0safety in the Ryan Day<\/a> Era (2019-Present) to be selected in the top 13 picks of the NFL Draft.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

His\u00a0selection\u00a0is tied for the highest\u00a0a safety\u00a0has been drafted since 2017, as Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick was taken 11th\u00a0as well in 2018 by the Dolphins.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall,\u00a0with\u00a0Carnell Tate<\/a>,\u00a0Arvell Reese<\/a>, Sonny Styles<\/a> and\u00a0Downs\u00a0all taken by the\u00a011th\u00a0pick in the 2026 NFL Draft,\u00a0Ohio State became the first program since the NFL merger to\u00a0accomplish\u00a0that feat (1967: Michigan State \u2013 4).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Buckeyes have now had\u00a068\u00a0defensive backs\u00a0taken in the NFL Draft, which\u00a0is the most all\u00a0time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, since Ryan Day<\/a> officially was named Ohio State’s head coach on Dec. 4, 2018, Ohio State has had\u00a021\u00a0alumni\u00a0declare\u00a0for the NFL Draft early and forgo their final year of eligibility and all of them have been drafted with\u00a014\u00a0being picked in the first round.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n


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Carnell Tate<\/a>, 4th\u00a0Overall,\u00a0Round\u00a01 \u2013 Tennessee Titans\u00a0<\/p>\n


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Caleb Downs<\/a>, 11th\u00a0Overall,\u00a0Round\u00a01 \u2013 Dallas Cowboys\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n


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What\u00a0They’re\u00a0Saying:\u00a0<\/p>\n


\n\tHead Coach Ryan Day<\/a>:
\n\t“The\u00a0Cowboys\u00a0are getting a\u00a0special player in Caleb Downs<\/a>.\u00a0Caleb has elite instincts, range, and football intelligence, but what separates him is how he commands the defense and elevates everyone around him. He\u00a0is a true field general who prepares the right way, communicates at a high\u00a0level\u00a0and plays with confidence.\u00a0He will make an immediate impact in\u00a0Dallas.”\u00a0

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\n\tCharles Davis (NFL Network):
\n\t“Caleb Downs<\/a> will patrol the secondary, organize the secondary, and he can wear the green dot. The entire defense. He’ll be up there teaching everyone new that comes there after two days of mini camp when he gets to Dallas. But the other part of it too is that the Cowboys have a tradition of these guys in the secondary, The Darren Woodson’s, right, the Roy Williams. The last time they took their safety in the first round, 2002 and it was Roy Williams. They need to get back to that type of football with Caleb Downs<\/a>.”

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\n\tJoel Klatt (FOX)
\n\t“They rebuilt the defense at Ohio State around Caleb Downs<\/a>. That’s the type of talent he has. All those great players, and built the entire structure of that scheme around Caleb Downs<\/a>. He’s so versatile, he’s so smart. They did that just two years ago on their route to a National Championship. They revamped that defense after a loss to Oregon, putting him in the center of the field. Allow those instincts to take over. He can patrol the middle of the field as well as anybody in college football. There he is playing free safety against Texas a couple of years ago. How about him triggering on this ball before anyone else is moving, creating turnovers for his teammates. He’s terrific in run support. I said he triggers faster than anybody on the defense, partly because of his preparation. Legendary Monday nights with Matt Patricia<\/a> in preparations. He’s an alley filler and he can blitz. This is where I thought he was most dynamic. He had the ability to get in the backfield and make production tackles, and that’s what he did for a long time at two really great programs, Alabama and Ohio State.”\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Cowboys –\u00a0Buckeyes Connection:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dallas\u00a0has now drafted\u00a015\u00a0Buckeyes, most recently selecting\u00a0Mike Weber\u00a0in the\u00a0seventh\u00a0round of the\u00a02019\u00a0NFL Draft. In addition,\u00a0Downs joins\u00a0Ezekiel Elliott\u00a0(2016) as\u00a0the most recent Dallas\u00a0first round draft picks from Ohio State.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Caleb Downs<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Dallas Cowboys,\u00a01st\u00a0Round\u00a0(No.\u00a011 Overall)\u00a0<\/p>\n


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He had an outstanding, unanimous All-America season in 2025 as the AFCA, FWAA, Associated Press, Walter Camp and The Sporting News all named him to their first teams for the second consecutive year\u00a0<\/p>\n


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He is the sixth two-time, unanimous All-American at Ohio State following WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (2022-23), OT Orlando Pace (1995-96), RB Archie Griffin (1974-75), FB Bob Ferguson (1960-61)\u00a0and RB Hopalong Cassady (1954-55).\u00a0<\/p>\n


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A team captain who led the defense to No. 1 national rankings in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense, and No. 1 in rushing defense.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n


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Also was named the Big Ten’s Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and, for the second consecutive season, the Big Ten’s Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year as well as first-team All-Big Ten\u00a0<\/p>\n


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Concluded his three-year collegiate career with 44 starts, 257 tackles, 16 TFLs, six interceptions and an\u00a0additional\u00a011 PBUs for 17 total passes\u00a0defended.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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2025:\u00a0Thorpe Award winner, Lott IMPACT Trophy winner, Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community and Impact Award, Unanimous first-team All-American, Big Ten Conference’s Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year, Big Ten Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year,\u00a0All-Big Ten, Nagurski Award finalist, Academic All-Big Ten.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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2024:\u00a0Unanimous first-team All-American, Big Ten Conference’s Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year,\u00a0All-Big Ten, Thorpe Award finalist, Nagurski Award finalist, Lott IMPACT Trophy finalist, OSU Scholar-Athlete.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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2023 (at Alabama):\u00a0Shaun Alexander national\u00a0freshman\u00a0of the year, first-team All-American (Pro Football Focus), SEC Freshman of the Year, All-SEC, Freshman All-SEC.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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