From the moment he stepped onto the field as an 18-year-old true freshman in the SEC, Caleb Downs has been one of the top defenders in all of college football. After two seasons at Ohio State, Downs declared for the 2026 NFL Draft to be one of the top talents in the field. Despite playing safety, Downs could be considered one of the best overall prospects in the draft. Will positional value cause a slight draft-day slide, or will he be one of the first non-quarterbacks taken?
2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Caleb Downs
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 206 lbs
Arms: 30.25″
Hands: 9.5″
40-yard: TBD
Vertical: TBD
Broad jump: TBD
RAS: TBD
School: Ohio State
Position: Safety
We will come back and update numbers following the Scouting Combine and/or Pro Day.
Caleb Downs NFL Draft Overview
Downs was about as can’t-miss a high school recruit as you’d find. He was a five-star by all major recruiting services and was the number-one safety and seventh-best overall recruit of the 2023 class. He committed to and played his first season with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Immediately, Downs was an impact player. In 14 games, including an SEC Championship and CFP appearance, Downs amassed 107 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and scored on a punt return. Downs led the team in solo tackles (70), marking the first time in Alabama’s illustrious history.
Then, when Nick Saban retired, he hopped into the transfer portal and landed at Ohio State. He picked up where he left off, totaling 82 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, a half sack, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and a punt return touchdown. Downs hauled in the game-sealing interception in the Cotton Bowl to send the Buckeyes to the CFP National Championship game, which Ohio State won.
Last year, it was more of the same. Downs finished with 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. His play was rewarded with the Jim Thorpe Award, and he even finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Now, Downs enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the best talents there is. Some are comparing him to the all-time greats at the position.
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The Bengals have a problem: Fix a defense with no spine. No safeties, no LBs, a sieve up the middle. BUT, if that defense just gets to average, it may mean a Super Bowl
Caleb Downs, NO MATTER WHAT. Meet the Luke Keuchly of Safeties (🔗⬇️) pic.twitter.com/VHQsVNuZY8
— Max Toscano (@maxtoscano1) February 5, 2026
Strengths
- Can play either free or strong safety
- Well above-average tackler (11.1% missed tackle rate)
- More than willing run defender
- Elite play recognition
- As fluid as a corner in coverage
- Great body control, can track down the ball in the air, and make a play
- Scored more touchdowns (2) than touchdowns allowed in coverage (0)
- Is a kick/punt return option
- Two-time unanimous All-American
- 2025 Lott IMPACT Trophy winner
- 2025 Jim Thorpe Award winner
Weaknesses
- Can get too eager coming downhill to defend the run, and can get lost in the shuffle
- Size could be a mismatch against true Y tight ends in coverage
- Gets caught watching the backfield in zone
- Did not play much man coverage in college
- Only six interceptions and 12 pass breakups in 44 games
Projection: Top 10
Best Fits: Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys
Bottom Line
Despite being a safety, there will be a team that takes Downs early. That positional value may suppress his draft positioning, but there will be a team that takes him in the first half of the first round. Some have him going as early as fifth overall (Giants).
Downs is an immediate-impact, floor-raising defender. He will be able to step into any role at the NFL level as a day-one starter.
Something to consider: box score watching a safety – especially in college, where Ohio State and Alabama had ridiculous talent disparities over 80% of their opponents – is a practice in futility. Downs impacts the game on each play, whether that is by crashing downhill in run support or coming over the top. He had a handful of plays where he recognized the route concepts, crashed down, and caused an interception to be brought in by a teammate.
Despite being “just” a safety, Downs is the surest prospect in this year’s draft class.
