It wasn't long ago at all that Ohio State fans saw Caleb Downs taken off the board at No. 11 overall by the Dallas Cowboys, who traded up to get him to Arlington. It was quickly and widely considered a steal for the NFC East side, as head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants this team to wipe away the memories of missing the playoffs last year.
Ohio State football sending an all-out blitz to land 5-star recruit
Adding Downs to the mix is already changing the outlook on defense, as he was without question one of the best available defensive backs for his entire draft class. With that, it shouldn't be a stunner at all that Downs wasted no time making a major splash at rookie minicamp. Think Schottenheimer is a fan of his game? You better believe it:
Brian Schottenheimer on Caleb Downs in just a brief time: “He is what we thought.”
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) May 2, 2026
Caleb Downs has wasted no time impressing Brian Schottenheimer
That short and sweet quote from Schottenheimer on his new rookie defensive back must have Cowboys supporters smiling from ear to ear. You know what, it's something that Ohio State fans can be elated about too, as countless people in Columbus are going to be following Downs' career closely.
He was a bonafide stud with the Buckeyes, no question making a big-time impact to help Ohio State win the natty during the 2024 season. That campaign, the electric DB finished the year with 82 total tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections for Ryan Day.
He followed that up with 68 total tackles and two more interceptions in 2025. While Ohio State suffered an early loss in the College Football Playoff to Mario Cristobal and Miami, it took nothing away from what Downs and the rest of his teammates were able to accomplish in recent years.
Moving forward, Downs is going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder, as he's going to want to make the 10 teams that passed up on him regret that they did so. Several analysts have given the Cowboys an A grade for taking Downs off the board and it's now time for Downs to make the Dallas front office look brilliant for their draft-night gamble. Thus far, Downs is no question doing so.
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