The Ohio State Buckeyes have gotten off to a quick start in the 2025 college football season. As they look to defend their national championship win from last season, star safety Caleb Downs is going to be a big part of those hopes.
Downs is arguably the best safety in the nation. He’s also one of the best defensive players in college football.
Looking ahead to next offseason, Downs has a very good chance of being a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. There are quite a few teams who would love to be able to bring him into their defense.
With that being said, a new prediction has been made about Downs’ NFL future.
Ohio State Buckeyes Star Caleb Downs Receives Massive NFL Prediction
Bleacher Report has revealed a new mock draft heading into Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. When it came to Downs, they had him being the No. 4 overall pick in the draft by the Tennessee Titans.
“With Cam Ward now at quarterback, the Tennessee Titans have the luxury of taking the best player among the 2026 class regardless of position,” they wrote. “And Ohio State’s Caleb Downs has the chance to be a rare difference-maker at safety.”
Ohio State Buckeyes Caleb Downs
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs smiles during a game against Purdue.
Along with their opinion came a quote from an NFL general manager who spoke to NFL insider Jordan Schultz about Downs.
“There’s some Earl Thomas and Eric Berry to him,” the general manager said. “Just a special, special player.”
Last season with Ohio State, Downs recorded 81 total tackles to go along with 0.5 sacks, two interceptions, and six defended passes. Those numbers were not as big as his freshman season with the Alabama Crimson Tide, but he was just as impactful.
Speaking of his freshman year at Alabama, Downs racked up 107 tackles, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and three defended passes.
Needless to say, the future is bright for Downs. It’s still too early to know how the 2026 NFL Draft will go, but he does seem likely to be a top-five pick.