Is New Buckeyes Safety Caleb Downs 'The No. 1 Overall Player' in College Football?
The Ohio State Buckeyes had one of the best transfer hauls in the country this offseason, bringing in difference-makers at just about every position of need, including a new starting quarterback and a new star running back.
However, their biggest addition might have been safety Caleb Downs, who ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the portal.
Downs not only provides an elite talent, but he also gives the Buckeyes arguably the best secondary in the country, complete with three elite corners in Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, and Jordan Hancock, as well as two top-notch safeties in Sonny Styles and Lathan Ransom.
In fact, Bleacher Report believes Downs is such a good fit with the Buckeyes, that they are predicting him to be the No. 1 talent in all of college football next season.
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"The top-rated player in the transfer portal may wind up being the No. 1 overall player in the country next season," Bleacher Report wrote. "Yes, former Alabama safety Caleb Downs has that talent and ability."
"He was the most impactful freshman defensive back in a decade... Now, he will head to Columbus where he will battle Michigan cornerback Will Johnson for the top defender in the entire league. Downs is the type of player who may not get the Heisman Trophy clout because he won't put up game-changing turnover stats there."
Last year as a true freshman with the Tide, Downs finished the season with 107 tackles, two interceptions, three pass deflections a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
And in each of the Tide's three biggest games against Texas, LSU, and Michigan, Downs led the team in tackles with 10, 13, and eight, respectively.
The Buckeyes already have a veteran safety in Lathan Ransom and a young, talented up-and-comer in Sonny Styles, but could use another playmaker on the back end to cement their secondary as one of the best in the country.
To make matters better, Downs will be in town for at least a couple of years before going pro, meaning a potential future pairing of Downs and Styles would be one of the scariest prospects for opposing offenses in the Big Ten.
