NFL Scouts Share Why Caleb Downs Could Be the Surprise of NFL Draft

Caleb Downs may be one of the most exciting defensive prospects to come out of college football in recent years.

The 21-year-old safety is coming out of a college career where he recorded 257 combined tackles, 16 for a loss, 1.5 sacks and six interceptions. He also tacked on 12 pass deflections and three forced fumbles.

Now, the talented, heavy-hitting prospect is looking to take his talents to the next level of the game and end up in the National Football League. As he does so, many scouts and coaches have raved about what he brings to the table.

NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic, Dane Brugler, recently came out and shared a story that shows just how high he will end up going on draft day.

"Fun question I've been asking to scouts: 'Caleb Downs is the best safety prospect you've personally scouted since...?'" wrote Brugler. "A few have answered 'Ever'."

Fun question I've been asking to scouts: "Caleb Downs is the best safety prospect you've personally scouted since....?"

A few have answered "Ever" https://t.co/6jOUZWe677
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 12, 2026

Brugler's comments came in response to a post from Albert Breer, who's a Senior NFL Reporter for The MMQB on Sports Illustrated. Breer's post talked about just how good he believes Downs is.

"I feel comfortable saying Caleb Downs is the best football player in the 2026 draft class," Breer wrote. "He won't be the first pick—you have to consider upside, positional value, all that, and there are guys with more of all that stuff.

"But no one in the class is a better football player."

Downs' 2025 Climb to Stardom

This past season, he put together one of the most well-rounded campaigns in college football. He was effective in both the passing and rushing attacks, forcing deflections and picking off the football, before then jumping in the gaps and stuffing opposing teams' ball carriers.

That type of duel-threat capability is what NFL team's are looking for.

Since the start of the year, many analysts, scouts and coaches believed that he would end up being a first-round pick, but the way he commanded the Buckeyes' defense helped shoot him up to a potential top 10, maybe even top 5 pick.

Andand Nanduri, who's covered the NFL for quite a while now, also echoed this sentiment recently.

"Caleb Downs is breaking my brain," Nanduri posted on social media recently. "He’s *so* good a football player that I can’t figure out how to value him on a draft board. I know he’s a safety. I know that contract values for draft position, etc., matter. He’s the exception.

"I’ve watched every snap he played for Ohio State countless times, and I just don’t know how a dude is capable of doing the things he does."

Caleb Downs is breaking my brain. He’s *so* good a football player that I can’t figure out how to value him on a draft board. I know he’s a safety. I know that contract values for draft position, etc matter. He’s the exception. I’ve watched every snap he played for Ohio State…
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) February 11, 2026

His leadership helped guide the Buckeyes past numerous opponents, and it was especially on display during the small span of time when guys like Arvell Reese were out with injury. By the end of the season, he was honored with the 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, the 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the 2025 Lott IMPACT Trophy winner, all while being named a unanimous All-American.

Along with his awards, his durability will also draw scouts' eyes.

Across his three seasons of college ball, no team has had to worry about Downs' injury issues, as he's played in 14, 16 and 14 games in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.

As mock drafts and analyses of this year's talent continue to come out, expect to continue seeing high praise for Downs. After all, he may end up going down as one of the most highly sought-after players to come out of the Buckeye state.

This year's NFL Draft is set for April 23 through April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Penn. The first round will begin on Thursday, rounds two and three will be on Friday and the final rounds, 4-7, will conclude on Saturday.