The best Safety prospect since Eric Berry? Enter Caleb Downs.
He’s got the tape, the tools, and the potential to break draft tradition.
When the NFL Draft rolls around every year, we expect the top two or three picks to consist of QBs and the occasional EDGE rusher that many will claim is “generational”. Rarely do we get a safety who has his hat in the ring. The last time there was a safety with this much hype around him was Derwin James and even he was picked 17th overall. Only one Safety has been selected in the top-five in the last 15 years and that was Eric Berry, who was selected 5th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010.
Enter Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs. Downs was a five-star recruit out of Mill Creek High School in Georgia, considered as the top safety in the 2023 class. Known for his elite instincts, physicality, and rare football IQ, Downs committed to Alabama, where he made an immediate impact as a true freshman. He led the Crimson Tide in tackles during his first year, showcasing a blend of range, tackling ability, and leadership. After a standout freshman season, Downs transferred to Ohio State, where his rare combination of athleticism, mental processing, and positional versatility has now propelled him into one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, should he declare.
So what makes Caleb Downs a generational prospect?
To understand why Caleb Downs is viewed as a potentially generational talent at the safety position, you have to break down the layers of his game. He isn’t just good at one or two things…he’s elite across the board. Here’s a closer look at what sets him apart:
🧠 Elite Football IQ and Mental Processing
Caleb Downs sees plays unfold before they happen. His ability to read the QB, anticipate routes, and recognize run vs. pass is of the upper echelon. He’s often in position before the ball is even snapped, and that allows him to make game-changing plays. This is the kind of mental processing you typically see in seasoned NFL veterans, not college underclassmen.
🛡️ Physicality and Tackling Ability
Downs hits like a linebacker. He consistently finishes tackles, in space or in traffic, and almost always takes the correct angles. At Alabama, he led the team in tackles as a freshman, which is almost unheard of for a defensive back, let alone a first-year player. That kind of production isn’t a fluke, it’s a result of technique and pure, brute toughness.
🏃♂️ Athleticism and Range
Downs has the kind of closing speed and range that allow him to erase mistakes by others or turn a 20-yard gain into a 5-yard gain. He covers ground effortlessly, and that makes him a natural fit for just about any team in today’s NFL, where safeties are asked to handle an incredible amount of space due to the spread-out nature of modern offenses.
🔒 Coverage Skills
He has fluid hips, strong change-of-direction skills, and the discipline to stay locked on receivers without grabbing or panicking. His ball skills are sharp, and while he may not rack up interceptions every week, he consistently disrupts passing lanes and forces quarterbacks to think twice before testing him.
Caleb Downs isn’t just another top safety prospect, he’s the kind of player who can redefine what teams expect from the position. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him break the mold and hear his name called first overall on draft night. If you're looking for the next cornerstone piece on defense, Caleb Downs is going to be that guy.
