Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted to position his team in a better spot in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night. Jones and the Cowboys pulled off a trade with the Miami Dolphins, moving up to the No. 11 pick in exchange for their Nos. 12, 177, and 180 picks.
After making the move, the Cowboys drafted 6-foot, 205-pound Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. As the NFL world learned of the move, reactions were plentiful.
Jerry Jones’ Deal for Caleb Downs Draws Hot Reactions
Former NFL player and ESPN NFL and college football analyst Chase Daniel shared a clip of him talking about Downs earlier this week.
Daniel posted on X, “All you guys thought I was crazy…. The Cowboys trade up to get the best defender in the draft – Caleb Downs”.
All you guys thought I was crazy….
The Cowboys trade up to get the best defender in the draft – Caleb Downs https://t.co/fzPBzBIihj
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) April 24, 2026
Lindsay Patterson, who covers the Cincinnati Bengals, posted on X, “Have a career Caleb Downs!” Patterson shared a post from Jordan Schultz of The Schultz Report about Downs going to the Cowboys.
Davd Sturchio, owner of Milo21 Media, shared his reaction to Jones’ move for Downs in a post on X. Sturchio wrote on Thursday night, “I CANNOT HANDLE THIS HAPPINESS!!!!!!!”
I CANNOT HANDLE THIS HAPPINESS!!!!!!! https://t.co/Z3AAUy9NrZ
— Dave Sturchio (@DaveSturchio) April 24, 2026
One influencer posted on X, “Dallas actually cooked here”. Tera Victora of the Dear Ms. Fantasy Podcast had some thoughts on Jones’ decision in the 2026 NFL Draft: “Jerry Jones feeling SPICY today.”
Jerry Jones feeling SPICY today.
— Tera Victoria (@ItsTeraTime) April 24, 2026
RJ Ochoa, Manager and Editor-In-Chief of Blogging The Boys, had an interesting comment regarding what the Cowboys did. Ochoa posted on X, “The Cowboys got to move up GET THEIR GUY and STILL get to pick at 20. SOMEONE ORDER THE CHAMPAGNE”.
The Cowboys got to move up GET THEIR GUY and STILL get to pick at 20.
SOMEONE ORDER THE CHAMPAGNE https://t.co/nf7TLN0Rir
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) April 24, 2026
Warren Sharp, who provides predictive NFL analytics and visualized data, also found what Jones did pretty interesting. Sharp posted on X, “Jerry Jones sits on his hands, lets Caleb Downs drop, and when the moment is right, moves up just 1 spot to lock him up … dream scenario for Dallas”.
The Cowboys’ selection of Downs received an A+ grade from the PFSN 2026 NFL Draft HQ. Downs had a draft grade of 93.4. The Football Debate Club is discussing the 2026 NFL Draft and the picks as they are announced on YouTube.
“Caleb Downs has received first-round premonitions from the general consensus ever since he set foot on Alabama’s campus as a five-star recruit,” according to the PFSN draft analysis around Downs.
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“An instant producer at the CFB level, Downs was a star for the Crimson Tide defense in 2023, and then for Ohio State’s Championship-caliber unit in 2024 and 2025,” the analysis continued.
“Downs’ raw production underwhelms in comparison to his prestige, but don’t let that fool you: On film, he’s one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, and is a blue-chip player in the 2026 NFL Draft class.”
