Caleb Downs

Downs comes from an athletic family with deep ties to professional football. His father, Gary Downs, played college football for NC State and spent seven seasons in the NFL as a running back with the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Atlanta Falcons before becoming a coach. His mother is Tanya Downs, his sister, Kameron, attended medical school at Wake Forest, and his uncle, Dre Bly, played 11 seasons in the NFL as a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and Super Bowl champion. His older brother, Josh Downs, played wide receiver at North Carolina before being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts.

Raised in Hoschton, Georgia, Downs attended Mill Creek High School, where he starred in football, basketball, and baseball. As a two-way player on the football team, he helped Mill Creek capture a state championship. Following a senior season in which he posted 66 tackles, five interceptions, and over 700 combined rushing and passing yards, Downs was named the All-American Bowl Player of the Year and the USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year. Evaluated as the nation's top safety prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, he committed to the University of Alabama over offers from Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Clemson.

Downs debuted for Alabama in 2023 and quickly made program history by becoming the first true freshman to lead the Crimson Tide in total tackles, finishing with 107 stops, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. His performance earned him SEC Freshman of the Year honors as well as the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Following the retirement of head coach Nick Saban after the 2023 season, Downs entered the NCAA transfer portal and joined the Ohio State Buckeyes.

During his first season at Ohio State in 2024, Downs was an integral part of a defense that won the College Football Playoff national championship. He tallied 82 tackles, two interceptions, and a 79-yard punt return touchdown against Indiana, earning unanimous first-team All-American recognition. In 2025, he captained a Buckeyes defensive unit that led the nation across major statistical categories. He concluded his junior campaign by capturing both the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott Trophy, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, and becoming only the sixth two-time unanimous All-American in Ohio State history.

Downs declared for the NFL draft in January 2026 following the conclusion of his junior season at Ohio State. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

He joined the Cowboys roster wearing jersey number 13, stepping into their defensive secondary as a safety under defensive coordinator Christian Parker.