It's become clear in the last few weeks that new Dallas Cowboys' safety Caleb Downs has a lot of fans. Not only was he arguably the best value pick of the first round (and the draft itself), he's the player who would've made the most immediate impact for the Cowboys' defense with the 11th pick.
Downs' ability to elevate a defense is why NFC East rivals are pissed to see him kick off his career in Dallas, but he also set the standard for how a young defender should conduct himself. He was a model teammate at Ohio State and made an impact in the locker room, including on Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka, who was a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this time last year, went on the Kay Adams Show this week and was asked about the Buckeyes producing four of the top 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. And in doing so, the star wideout provided some high praise for Downs, specifically after the impression he made on coaches and teammates at rookie minicamp.
"I think Caleb going to the Cowboys, I think that was a really good pick," Egbuka said..."We've been compared a lot, especially when he was at Ohio State, they called him 'the Emeka of defense'. In terms of his determination, his preparation, the way he approaches the game, his saviness, all that type of that stuff, so I think he's going to have a tremendous career."
Emeka Egbuka sees a bright future for Dallas Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs
The 23-year-old's words prove why Ohio State is such a factory for NFL talent. They have players like Downs, and like himself who set the standard for excellence. Their development is another story, but having college athletes, basically teenagers, who conduct themselves like NFL veterans is crucial.
The core difference between the two is the number of individual accolades. The 20-year-old is the reigning Jim Thorpe Award Winner (despite playing safety, mind you) and a multi-time All-American, while Egbuka, despite no All-American seasons, cemented himself as one of the more important players on a roster riddled with talent. So that all boils down to the way you approach the game.
It's no secret that Downs has the IQ, the instincts, and the range to be a star, and that was something Egbuka took note of when they played together for OSU's national championship-winning team in 2024. So even though they weren't teammates for long, knowing they share qualities that have him blossoming into a future star in Tampa Bay is encouraging.
Cowboys fans have been plenty excited about adding a chess piece and top-five talent like Downs to Christian Parker's defense, and hearing Egbuka's praise should only make them more excited to see how he attacks the start of his NFL career after slipping out of the top 10.
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