Caleb Downs' Massive Projected Rookie Contract Numbers With Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys officially made Ohio State safety Caleb Downs a member of the franchise on Thursday night, selecting him No. 11 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Downs somewhat fell right into Dallas' lap after slipping past the Top 10 and into a spot where the Cowboys were able to trade up spot from No. 12 overall to grab him.

As a result, Dallas' first night of the draft was seen as a massive success for the front office. The Cowboys also traded down later in the first round to select UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23 overall.

As for Downs, he will enter his first season already seen as a fan favorite, but he's got the talent and impact ability to back it up. His projected rookie contract details reflect this as well.

Caleb Downs Set to Make Nearly $46.5 Million in Gross Pay on Rookie Deal

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs poses on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft at Point State Park. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Downs is projected to sign a fully guaranteed deal for four years, $28.9 million, with Dallas that could include a $17.5 million signing bonus, per Spotrac.

This means that Downs will be making nearly $46.5 million in gross pay as a rookie in the NFL. The money he made while at Ohio State was certainly comfortable but this kind of contract number makes most of the NIL deals in college look small.

If Downs emerges into the All-Pro safety that fans expect him to become, then Dallas will likely be ready with a massive new deal for him after the 2029 season at the latest. Perhaps Downs ends up being so impressive that Dallas doesn't want and makes him of the NFL's highest-paid safeties by the 2028 offseason.

What's Next for Caleb Downs?

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs celebrates an interception during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Grambling State Tigers at Ohio Stadium. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Though that is certainly the eventual expectation for Downs, fans will have to wait awhile to see all of that unfold. For now, he will begin the process of getting acclimated to his new life in Texas and the Arlington area.

Some of the next big steps for Downs is to receive his jersey number along with signing that rookie deal with the Cowboys before beginning rookie minicamp and OTAs later this offseason.

Downs wore No. 2 in college, a number that is already taken by Cowboys cornerback Cobie Durant. It will be interesting to see what number Downs ends up getting later this week once he arrives at the facility.

—Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI—

Add us as a preferred source on Google