CalebDowns

Downs is just a football player, man; a safety/nickelback/de facto linebacker, he plays with incredible anticipation in coverage and has a knack for always being around the ball in run support. The brother of Colts receiver Josh Downs and a former five-star prospect, he started his career under Nick Saban at Alabama and then transferred to Ohio State in 2024. He quickly established himself as a leader and impact player for the Buckeyes, proving to be a tackling machine with top-tier ball skills. Downs racked up 257 combined tackles, 16.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, six picks, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and a pair of punt return touchdowns in his three seasons in college—and gave up exactly zero touchdowns in coverage in his time at Ohio State, per PFF. 

His versatility is one of the first things that stands out: He split his time at deep safety, over the slot, in the box, and on the line, and he even took a handful of snaps outside at corner. He is adept at reading the quarterback’s eyes to react quickly and jump into throwing lanes. He keeps his head on a swivel and shows awareness for developing routes, working himself into position to undercut the receiver and get to a spot where he can make a play on the ball. He’s sticky in coverage when playing in man, and he understands spacing in zone, showing a feel for splitting the difference between two different receivers so he can still make a play on either. Downs is lightning quick as a blitzer, exploding through gaps in the line to arrive at the quarterback or ballcarrier. He takes good angles to the ball and chops his feet to gather himself and make the tackle. He’s a good form tackler, staying low and wrapping up. He communicates with teammates and gets them lined up in the right spot. As a bonus, he offers punt return value. 

Downs has room to improve his consistency in finishing his tackles; he’ll go for the big hit and occasionally whiff or end up diving at ankles instead of wrapping up. He works to get off blocks but can be sealed away from the play by linemen and tight ends. He doesn’t have a ton of experience in single-high looks, so his ability to play that role could be a question for teams.