Ohio State's Caleb Downs walks away with prestigious award

Ohio State, unfortunately, didn't walk away with any hardware last week after losing to Indiana in the Big Ten title game. However, on Friday night, one of its individual players was honored with a prestigious award.

Buckeyes' safety Caleb Downs has been honored with the Jim Thorpe Award, recognizing him as the top defensive back in the nation.

Caleb Downs wins the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 13, 2025

Downs beat out LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore.

Downs has tallied 60 tackles, recorded five tackles for loss, notched one sack, and intercepted two passes over the course of 13 games.

Although Ohio State has produced many great defensive backs over the years, he is the first Buckeye defensive back to win the award since Malcolm Jenkins took it home in 2008.

Antoine Winfield Sr. became the first Buckeye to earn the Jim Thorpe Award in 1998. Today, Ohio State boasts three winners of this prestigious award in its program's history.

Downs has been recognized as one of the standout players in college football ever since he arrived at Alabama in 2023. He made an immediate impact in his freshman season with the Crimson Tide, and everyone quickly realized he was something special after he earned a starting position right from the get-go.

Most true freshmen don’t start right away at Alabama, and defensive backs rarely start as true freshmen under former head coach Nick Saban, who was known as a mastermind of defensive backs.

Downs transferred to Ohio State in the winter of 2024 following Saban's retirement. He played a crucial role in leading the Buckeyes to victory in last season's national championship and is looking to replicate that success this season.

The Buckeyes are the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoffs and will face the winner of the Miami vs. Texas A&M game. Downs will need to deliver his best performance if Ohio State wants to reestablish itself as a champion, as both A&M and Miami boast impactful offensive players.

Downs is expected to be playing his final games for Ohio State during the CFP. Since he is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, he will likely declare and become a top pick this upcoming April.

Many NFL teams are eager to battle for the right to draft Downs this offseason. Since positional value plays a crucial role in the draft, Downs might slip down the board, as some people consider safety less critical than other defensive positions.