Caleb Downs
21-Year-Old
2025 Defense Stats
TCKL
0
SACKS
0.0
INT
0
FF
0
TD
0
2026 Projections
Signed a four-year contract with the Cowboys in May of 2026.
Picked by Cowboys
The Cowboys selected Downs in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 11th overall.
ANALYSIS
The Cowboys moved up from the 12th pick to take Downs from what was previously Miami's draft slot. Downs (6-feet, 206 pounds) is a blue-chip prospect who might have gone even higher if not for vague long-term concerns over his meniscus health, so there are basically no critics of Downs as a safety. Downs dominated at both Ohio State and Alabama, and drafting Downs might be giving Jerry Jones flashbacks of drafting Roy Williams out of Oklahoma, which was once a point of pride for the Cowboys. Downs will be a three-down player for Dallas right away.
The Cowboys moved up from the 12th pick to take Downs from what was previously Miami's draft slot. Downs (6-feet, 206 pounds) is a blue-chip prospect who might have gone even higher if not for vague long-term concerns over his meniscus health, so there are basically no critics of Downs as a safety. Downs dominated at both Ohio State and Alabama, and drafting Downs might be giving Jerry Jones flashbacks of drafting Roy Williams out of Oklahoma, which was once a point of pride for the Cowboys. Downs will be a three-down player for Dallas right away.
NFL Stats
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
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2025 Caleb Downs Split Stats
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Measurables Review
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How do Caleb Downs' measurables compare to other safeties?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 0"Weight
206 lbsHand Length
9.50 inArm Length
30.25 in
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Perfect fit in Dallas?
In his recap of the 2026 NFL Draft, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com believes that the Cowboys' selection of Downs with the No. 11 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft is a perfect fit for the Dallas secondary.
ANALYSIS
Brooks argues that Downs could have been the first defensive player off the board in the draft if positional value was not a factor. He enjoyed a stellar three-year college career and spent the last two seasons with Ohio State, where he was an All-American Unanimous selection in both campaigns and earned several distinctions, including the Jim Thorpe Award and conference Defensive Player of the Year award in 2025. Downs is a natural playmaker and leader, and his addition should help a Cowboys defense that ranked 28th or worse in yards per game allowed in each of the last two years.
Brooks argues that Downs could have been the first defensive player off the board in the draft if positional value was not a factor. He enjoyed a stellar three-year college career and spent the last two seasons with Ohio State, where he was an All-American Unanimous selection in both campaigns and earned several distinctions, including the Jim Thorpe Award and conference Defensive Player of the Year award in 2025. Downs is a natural playmaker and leader, and his addition should help a Cowboys defense that ranked 28th or worse in yards per game allowed in each of the last two years.