The younger brother of Colts receiver Josh Downs, Caleb Downs, entered college football in 2023 as a prized five-star recruit at Alabama, where he actually came in alongside Proctor as part of the Crimson Tide’s freshman class. He made an immediate impact in Tuscaloosa, starting all 14 games as a freshman and recording 107 tackles (3.5 for loss), two interceptions, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. After coach Nick Saban stepped down, Downs transferred to Ohio State in 2024 and continued to produce at an elite level his final two seasons, with 149 tackles (12.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, four interceptions, one pass breakup and two forced fumbles.
With his pedigree (which includes his father, former NFL quarterback Gary Downs) before him, Downs has been on the radar of NFL evaluators since his high school days in Georgia. He’s done it through three college seasons, earning a first-team AP All-American selection in 2024 and 2025 (along with a second-team nod as a true freshman in 2023), the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and the Thorpe Award in his final season on defense.
Given his productivity over three seasons, Downs decided to stick to his image during the preseason, sitting out athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine and Ohio State’s pro day. His filmography is strong enough to justify the approach. A three-point safety who does his best in the box, he proves to be an extremely capable, fearless tackler whose effort never gives up and rarely gets out of position. He’s not the most outrageously gifted player physically, but the results outweigh the potential that comes with the testing data.
Depending on who you asked, Downs was considered by some to be one of the best players in his draft. He’ll carry those sky-high expectations into the NFL with the same goal he achieved in college: exceed them.