After two seasons at Ohio State, safety Caleb Downs has announced that he is declaring for the NFL draft.
The star defender revealed his decision on the newest episode of his podcast, “Downs 2 Business,” which he and his brother, NFL wide receiver Josh Downs, do together.
Downs projects as a likely top-10 pick in the draft and could be one of multiple Buckeyes to go that early this year, with linebacker Arvell Reese and wide receiver Carnell Tate in mock drafts around that area.
The Buckeyes originally just missed out on Downs when he was coming out of high school as a five-star prospect in the 2023 class. But when Alabama head coach Nick Saban retired after Downs’ true freshman season — in which he was a freshman All-American — Downs landed with the Buckeyes out of the transfer portal.
“What Caleb Downs has done for Ohio State and does every day, most of what you see is on the field, but what I see is off the field,” head coach Ryan Day said. “He’s a special young man who has done a lot for this program. I’ll forever be in debt for what he has done for us, not only in his play, but what he stands for off the field. He’s tremendous.”
In two seasons with Ohio State, Downs was a big part of the No. 1 scoring and total defenses the Buckeyes boasted in both seasons, which is why he is now projected to go so high in the draft. But his production went beyond the numbers as well, with his coaches saying that having him in the game was like having another coach on the field.
He finished his two seasons with Ohio State with a total of 150 tackles (94 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four interceptions, eight passes broken up and two forced fumbles. He was a unanimous All-America selection in both seasons, and won the Thorpe Award in 2025 as the best defensive back in the country.
