Former Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was one of four Buckeyes picked in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Dallas Cowboys made a trade involving two fifth-round picks with the Miami Dolphins, moving from No. 12 to No. 11 to pick Downs, who surprisingly fell out of the top 10.
Ryan Day Endorses Caleb Downs’ Move to the Dallas Cowboys
After the Cowboys selected Downs, Ohio State coach Ryan Day praised the talented safety and congratulated the Cowboys for securing the safety to improve their woeful defense.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’s a generational player, but I know the Cowboys got a great one,” Day said.
Last season, Downs registered 68 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles for the Buckeyes, earning a PFSN College Safety Impact score of 83.5. He finished his college football career at both Alabama and Ohio State with 257 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 17 total passes defended, and 6 interceptions.
Nick Saban Praises Caleb Downs After NFL Draft Selection
Before he played for Day at Ohio State, Downs spent one season in Tuscaloosa playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide under the legendary Nick Saban. In his sole season in Tuscaloosa, he led Alabama with 70 solo tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble, earning second-team All-American honors before he entered the transfer portal.
During ESPN’s live coverage of the NFL Draft on Thursday, Saban lavished praise on Downs’ character and paid the safety the ultimate compliment.
“This is as fine a young man as you’re ever going to find to be a part of your team,” Saban said. “He’s a great competitor. He’s got great character. He’s so instinctive as a player. He can play downhill, he can play in the box, he can play the deep field, he can play man to man. This guy is a tremendous, tremendous person and competitor.”
“And I tell you what, there’s only a few guys that I love more than this guy as a player on our football team, and he did a great job and improved even more in Ohio State.”
During his Ohio State career, Downs exploded and became a unanimous All-American selection in 2024 when the Buckeyes won the national championship. In addition, he won the Lott Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award, awarded to the best defensive player and the best defensive back in the country.
In his last season in Columbus, he won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year while the Ohio State Buckeyes boasted the best defense in the conference and the country.
