If you’re the Dallas Cowboys, having a pair of first-round picks, the 12th and 20th overall, could ultimately come in handy.
Those picks may very well be needed to trade up into the early portion of the first round if they intend to take Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, who is perceived by many to be a generational prospect.
Caleb Downs’ Stock Surging Through the Roof Ahead of Draft
Downs isn’t just undeniably the best safety in this year’s draft class, but he may be one of the best, most polished prospects overall.
After playing his freshman season at Alabama, Downs accumulated 107 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, and a pair of interceptions for the Crimson Tide before transferring to Ohio State. He’d spend his final two collegiate seasons with the Buckeyes, even seeing his sophomore campaign culminate with winning a national championship over Notre Dame.
Downs played in 30 games for the program in those two years, amassing 150 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss of yards, and four interceptions. He was a key component to a defense that also included linebacker Sonny Styles and pass rusher Arvell Reese, both of whom are expected to be drafted ahead of Downs next week.
NFL analyst Peter Schrager, who mocked Downs as going to the Cowboys at No. 12 overall, was told that “there is no chance in bloody hell” that the safety falls that far.
“I’ve been told by numerous teams that there’s no chance in hell that Caleb Downs will be around at twelve overall..
He’s likely going before twelve” ~ @PSchrags #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/wftOSKzQB0
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 14, 2026
“It’s all fluid,” Schrager said in an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Tuesday. “But the big feedback I got from teams was that, yes, positionally, a safety you wouldn’t take in the top-5 or top-10. It just wouldn’t make any sense otherwise to do so because they don’t make the same money on the free agent market, and you want to get the most value for your pick.”
Schrager noted the lack of “blue chip” prospects in this draft class that could prompt a team to reach a little higher than they normally would for a player like Downs.
Indiana’s Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the projected No. 1 overall pick, leads the bunch, followed by a running back in Jeremiyah Love, an off-ball linebacker in Styles, and a safety in Downs. The latter trio plays positions that, historically, aren’t valued too heavily on the free agent market.
According to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, the Cowboys had the worst defense in the league last season with an impact score of 62.1. Not being able to land a player of Downs’ caliber will be a huge blow to them, but Dallas is reportedly eyeing a trade up in the draft to land an impactful player.
Downs’ Draft Projection and Scouting Report
A full run-down on Downs’ draft projection, as well as his scouting report, is available through PFSN’s mock draft simulator. The Ohio State star currently has an average draft position of 10.1 on the mock draft simulator, and he is expected to be a top-10 pick.
Downs has received first-round premonitions from the general consensus ever since he set foot on Alabama’s campus as a five-star recruit. 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.
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.
A fluid, explosive, and energized mover at 6’0″, 205 pounds, Downs is special in the box with his combined mobility, play pace, angle IQ, and physicality on blocks.
He’s an expert at running alleys, scraping through contact, and securing solo tackles, and his instant reaction to stimulus ensures he’s always responsive on plays. And while his raw production in coverage makes him easy to overlook in space, his coverage game is just as exhilarating.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
Downs is an uber-instinctive cover man who can swiftly process route combinations, manage route relationships, transition with ease, and clamp down on stems from different alignments.
He’s the consummate “glue guy”, with a cosmic football IQ and the versatility to play two-high, single-high, in the box as a rover, and even as a big nickel in off-man and zone. Positional value will be discussed with Downs, but regardless, he has all the hallmarks of a future All-Pro who makes a defense better.
