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High praise for Ohio State Buckeyes’ safety Caleb Downs

The Ohio State Buckeyes landed some of the most coveted transfers in the portal in early 2024. Both running back Quinshon Judkins and safety Caleb Downs are expected to be key assets for the Buckeyes this upcoming season. Judkins is eligible for the NFL Draft after this season, while Downs is not.

Though Downs is still at least two seasons away from entering the NFL Draft, he is already being considered a top 2026 prospect due to his impressive natural talent and standout freshman season with the Alabama Crimson Tide. He won multiple awards last season, including SEC Freshman of the Year and Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year.

Safety walks during warm-up with clear visor and hanging mouthpiece.

Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defenseman Caleb Downs (2) practices before the SEC Championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Now with the Buckeyes, Downs joins an experienced group with a ton of talent. Last season, Ohio State had one of the best defenses in the country statistically, and the addition of Downs will only help elevate an already impressive game.

Pro Football Focus’s Max Chadwick recently gave Downs high praise on the PFF College Football Show.

“He’s really special and I think he’s going to go down as one of the top safety prospects in the NFL Draft,” Chadwick said.

Downs still has time to develop, as he has yet to play a game with the Buckeyes, but expectations are still pretty high.

It’s safe to assume that if he can match or improve on his performance from last season at Alabama, he’ll not only be in contention for a first-round draft pick in 2026, but possibly a top-10 pick as well.

Ohio State will undoubtedly have confidence in Downs’ abilities as a defender over the next two seasons.