A look at the Caleb Downs NFL Draft profile, including a scouting report, his college highlights and stats, and a mock draft projection.
Since Kyle Hamilton entered the league from Notre Dame, there hasn’t been a safety as heralded as Caleb Downs. The standout safety has been great for the Ohio State Buckeyes for two years after having an incredibly successful freshman season with Alabama as well. As the winner of the Lott Trophy (Defensive Player of the Year), Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back) and a two-time unanimous All-American, there are few safety prospects that have rivaled Downs in the last decade. The Caleb Downs NFL Draft profile gives us a clear picture of what kind of player some team will get in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Let’s take a look at our Caleb Downs NFL Draft profile, including his stats, scouting report, college highlights, and more!
Caleb Downs NFL Draft Profile 2026
Caleb Downs
Position: Safety
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 206 lbs
Age: 20
College: Ohio State Buckeyes
Caleb Downs Stats 2025
After yet another terrific season, all eyes are on the safety out of Ohio State. Here are Caleb Downs’ college stats last season:
Games: 14
Coverage Snaps: 365
Tackles: 58
Missed Tackles: 9
PFF Grade: 87.6
Caleb Downs Highlights
When is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The draft will take place in Pittsburgh, PA. Only Round 1 will take place on Thursday. Rounds 2-3 will take place on April 24th, with the remaining four rounds wrapping up on Saturday, April 25th. There will be 257 players selected across the seven rounds, with many more getting phone calls immediately afterward.
Caleb Downs Scouting Report
Strengths
The biggest upside with Caleb Downs is his versatility. His main position is safety, but he is more than capable of playing in the slot as well. Whichever team drafts him is going to get a player who can play all over the secondary. On top of his versatility, Downs has an incredible motor that only turns off when the whistles have blown. Even on rare occasions when he finds himself in the wrong spot, he will not stop until the ball carrier is on the ground.
Downs also does a great job at the line of scrimmage, as well as defensively. He always has his eyes on the backfield and is more than willing to help out in run support as well. When he does, he has a knack for getting off blocks with ease and is great at making the tackle, even if he’s alone in the open field. He is underrated as an athlete and is great at mirroring the receiver and limiting any yards after the catch, even if a completion is made. Unlike most other safeties, he is incredibly proficient both in man and zone coverage and is rarely fooled by the play as he has incredible play recognition.
Weaknesses
One of the biggest weaknesses for Caleb Downs comes from his relentless motor. Downs wants to make the play so badly that he can find himself overrunning the play, which can find him in no-man’s land on certain plays. In coverage, Downs focuses more on his man than the ball, which can limit the number of plays he can make on the ball. As a tackler, Downs can also be inconsistent, as he can struggle at times with completely wrapping up the ball carrier.
For more 2026 NFL Draft profiles, check out our NFL Draft page!
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Caleb Downs NFL Draft Projection | Expert 2026 NFL Mock Draft Projections
These Caleb Downs NFL Draft projections are from before the NFL Free Agency signings took place, so there will be plenty of updates, news reports and more before the actual draft. These mock draft projections are coming from ESPN, CBS Sports, USA Today and NFL Network.
| SOURCE | TEAM | RD | PK |
| ESPN | Commanders | 1 | 7 |
| CBS Sports | Bengals | 1 | 10 |
| USA Today | Bengals | 1 | 10 |
| NFL Network | Bengals | 1 | 10 |
2026 NFL Draft Order | First Round
Caleb Downs will likely hear his name called within the first 10 picks of the NFL Draft, but it’s also possible he falls a bit as Kyle Hamilton did in 2022. Here is the 2026 NFL Draft order.
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- Tennessee Titans
- New York Giants
- Cleveland Browns
- Washington Commanders
- New Orleans Saints
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Los Angeles Rams (via ATL)
- Baltimore Ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New York Jets (via IND)
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- Carolina Panthers
- Dallas Cowboys (via GB)
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Cleveland Browns (via JAX)
- Chicago Bears
- Buffalo Bills
- San Francisco 49ers
- Houston Texans
- Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR)
- Miami Dolphins (via DEN)
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
