Ohio State is expected to dominate the first round of the NFL Draft, but safety Caleb Downs could prove to be the biggest wildcard of all.
The safety position is often one of the most difficult to evaluate and value on draft night, much like running back on the offensive side. If anyone understands the kind of talent Downs can bring to the next level, its FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt.
He joined “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on Thursday afternoon to preview the draft and believes Downs could be one of the safest picks in the class. Klatt was even more bullish on his upside, comparing Downs to a Hall of Fame safety.
“One of the comps that I like, but people shy away from, is Ed Reed,” Klatt said. “The reason is because its one thing to be smart, do your job on the field and then kill it on the whiteboard and really understand football. Its another thing to allow those instincts, intelligence and preparation to show up on the field.”
Downs is viewed as a player with tremendous upside, especially given his experience in three different defensive schemes throughout his time in college. He began his true freshman year at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State in 2024, where he won a national championship.
“They revamped the entire defense specifically for Caleb to put him in the middle of the field and allow his instincts to be more impactful,” Klatt said. “This guy with this amount of instincts and this IQ has played in three different defenses in three years and is still the smartest player on the field.”
Klatt said what separates Downs from other prospects in the class is his ability to adapt quickly and still dominate at every stop.
“This guy had 100 tackles at Alabama for Nick Saban and goes to Ohio State and immediately became the best defender on the field for a national championship team,” Klatt said. “They built the entire schematics around him.”
Downs is coming off a strong junior season with the Buckeyes, recording 68 total tackles, 45 of them solo, along with two interceptions. He also forced two fumbles and added a sack, showcasing his versatility all over the field.
His production and range only reinforced his reputation as one of the most instinctive defensive backs in the country, consistently impacting games in multiple phases.Â
“He can line up anywhere but then play any position from any part of the field, very similar to Reed,” Klatt said. “Thats something that Caleb can do and that disguise aspect of his game, I think, is highly valuable.”
For NFL teams looking for a modern defensive chess piece, Downs may be as close to a sure thing as this draft class offers.
