Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys' chances of landing Ohio State stud safety Caleb Downs seemed pretty small unless Jerry Jones was willing to trade up several spots, possibly even into the top five.
But as the world watched, when Downs somehow slipped out of the top 10, all America's Team had to do was move up one slot from No. 12 to No. 11 to nab the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, with Jones simply swapping first-rounders with the Miami Dolphins while also giving up a pair of fifth-round selections.
A small price to pay for arguably the best overall player in this entire draft class, wouldn't you say? And we're not talking just defensive players, although the Cowboys obviously needed help in that department after having one of the worst units in the league in that regard over the last two years.
After earning Second-Team All-American honors as a true freshman at Alabama and then back-to-back unanimous All-American nods for the Buckeyes the last two years, the pressure is obviously on Downs to deliver.
And if he can make the immediate impact most believe he can, he could end up bucking a couple of norms, as not only could he become just the second Cowboys player ever to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he could also be the first safety to win the prestigious award since 1990 and just the third overall at the position.
Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs would join several exclusive clubs with DROY win
After the Associated Press created a second Rookie of the Year award to acknowledge defensive players in 1967, it took more than half a century for a Cowboys player to receive the honor, with Micah Parsons finally breaking the streak after racking up 13.0 sacks in 2021. And it certainly bears mentioning that he won the award in unanimous fashion.
The Penn State product also earned a trip to the Pro Bowl, a First-Team All-Pro nod, and a second-place finish in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, so if Downs can come anywhere even close to that, Dallas will be in great shape.
As mentioned, Downs will also be looking to become the first safety to win DROY since 1990, with the winner that season being the Chicago Bears' Mark Carrier, who also earned Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors after tallying a league-high 10 interceptions and a league-best five forced fumbles.
Two years earlier, the DROY honor went to the Erik McMillan of the New York Jets, who also earned the first of his two Pro Bowl selections after recording eight interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
And those are literally the only two safeties to win the award. Cornerbacks have fared a little better, but that number is still only nine, and four of those were in the first 10 years. So, it's really just a matter of defensive backs as a whole not getting much love.
But Downs, who was tied for the fourth-best odds to win the award in the immediate aftermath of the draft, isn't just any defensive back, and his versatility, athleticism, and flat-out talent obviously give him a great chance to join these exclusive clubs.
Add us as a preferred source on Google