The Dallas Cowboys have significant needs in their secondary going into the 2026 offseason, but the one player who might be able to fix their defense is Caleb Downs. A former Alabama star, Downs transferred to Ohio State and was a back-to-back All-American selection for the Buckeyes.
Downs has been widely recognized as one of the top players in the 2026 NFL Draft and labeled a “can’t-miss” prospect. But is he truly an elite player? Or is he just the best defensive back in a bad secondary class? And how might he fit into the new defense of the Cowboys? Here is our official scouting report on Downs heading into this year’s draft:
Ohio State S Caleb Downs 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Height: 5116
Weight: 205
Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.49-4.52
Draft Day Age: 21.4
Recruiting: No. 8 overall player in 2023 recruiting class. No. 1 ranked safety.
College Production: 257 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 6 INTs, 12 pass deflections. Two-time All-American.
Positives:
- Very experienced with over 2,500 snaps played in the last three seasons, according to PFF.
- Reliable tackler despite not being overly powerful. Tackles well in space and is willing to throw body around.
- Excels in nearly every coverage situation. Best role is as a robber safety coming down to the box.
- Gets teammates in right spots and knows how to get defense into the right call. Leader.
- Can be used as a slot cornerback and a box defender, depending on the matchup.
- Does have special teams experience including two punt return touchdowns (averaged 18.5 yards per punt return for career).
- Only called for two total penalties over the last two seasons. Doesn't make many mental mistakes.
The best compliment you can give Downs is that he does everything at a high level. The ball production is very modest, but he makes a bunch of tackles every game and doesn’t allow much in coverage.
Ohio State used him all over the field and he was the anchor of their defense despite the talent all over the field. He might not have one generational trait like Ed Reed’s ball skills or Sean Taylor’s athleticism, but Downs is a well-rounded prospect who can be a plug-and-play starter in any scheme.
Negatives:
- Doesn’t have any overwhelming physical traits or athleticism.
- Not overly physical and could struggle to match up against tight ends on the next level.
- Wasn’t used as a blitzer much in college. Just one career sack and eight pressures during a three-year career at Alabama and Ohio State (per Pro Football Focus).
- Not used in press-man coverage very often at Ohio State. Better in zone coverage.
The lack of top-end traits could push Downs down the draft board as we’ve seen with safeties in the past. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Malaki Starks, and Brian Branch are some recent examples of highly-touted safeties who fell during the draft process due to average measurables. There is no doubt that he is one of the most talented players in the class, but his average athleticism and positional value could cause him to fall a bit during the draft process.
Caleb Downs NFL Player Comparison: Eric Weddle
Nothing stood out physically about Eric Weddle (outside of his beard), but he was one of the best safeties in the NFL for over a decade. He was always the smartest player on the field and his ability to play anywhere made him one of the league’s most valuable chess pieces.
Downs isn’t as physically imposing as Kyle Hamilton or Derwin James, but his versatility and intelligence make him one of the top prospects in this class.
Caleb Downs NFL Draft Grade: Top-15 Selection
There is no doubt that Downs is worthy of a top 15 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the hype has gotten a bit out of control. He’s not Ed Reed or Sean Taylor as a prospect. And frankly, he isn’t Derwin James, either. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t a sure-fire top-15 pick and a worthy candidate to be picked by the Cowboys early.
Downs is one of the smartest players in the country, and the fact that he is so experienced will help his transition to the NFL. Downs will be a Day 1 starter in the NFL and should be able to have a lot of success right away, ala Brian Branch in Detroit. But because of positional value and average athletic traits, don’t be surprised if Downs falls outside of the top-10 picks and winds up being selected around picks 12-15.