In a draft class that is as loaded at the skill positions as any in recent memory, the buzz around Ohio State safety Caleb Downs must be reverberating through boardrooms.
As one of the top defensive prospects, many are projecting Downs to be a top-10 pick in next month's NFL Draft, touting his exceptional talent and possible impact from the get-go.
But while most critics are high on the 21-year-old junior, NFL analyst Mike Mayock is a little apprehensive, as he pointed out on “The Rich Eisen Show.”
“Caleb Downs, I love him as a player, but I don’t see him as that dynamic difference-maker. So I don’t see him as a top-10 pick,” said Mayock.
“Don’t get me wrong, he is a hell of a football player. Okay, he’s a first -round safety. Gotcha, I’m in. I think he’s smart, I think he’s instinctive. I think he’s tough, he tackles, he can play in the box, he can play it free. So he does all these things. I don’t see as many dynamic plays on the ball as you’d like to see from a top-10 safety.”
Mayock has experience in evaluating top prospects, having served as general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders from 2019 to 2021.
Downs is not a stereotypical safety. With his size, athleticism, and versatility, he can provide any team with the luxury of deploying him all over the field.
He was the defensive heartbeat of Ohio State, one of college football’s elite units. In three years with the Buckeyes, he tallied 257 combined tackles, including 164 solo tackles, six interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
He helped Ohio State win the national title in 2024 and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2025. He is a two-time All-Big Ten First Team member and a two-time Unanimous All-American.
Some of the teams that are reportedly eyeing Downs are the New York Giants, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Washington Commanders.
