Ohio State S Caleb Downs has declared to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
He’ll be among the top defensive backs available in this year’s class and could be a top-10 pick when it’s all said and done.
Downs, 21, transferred to Ohio State in 2024 after one year in Alabama. He won this year’s Jim Thorpe Award for being the best defensive back in college football, along with earning the Lott Trophy for being the best defensive player of the year.
He earned Unanimous All-American honors in 2024 and 2025, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2024 and 2025, First-team All-Big Ten in 2024 and 2025, second-team All-American in 2023, and first-team All-SEC in 2023, and SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023.
For his college career, Downs appeared in 30 games for Ohio State and 14 games for Alabama, recording 257 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions, 12 pass defenses, one fumble recovery, and three forced fumbles.
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