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Ohio State AD Gives Unfiltered Opinion on Caleb Downs After His Major Personal Achievement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 4:52 PM ET

No team in college football went on as much of a roller-coaster ride as the Ohio State Buckeyes this past season.

Heralded as the $20 million roster with a championship-or-bust mindset, the Buckeyes suffered an early loss to the Oregon Ducks and lost to the rival Michigan Wolverines for the fourth straight year. The loss to Michigan led to anarchy in Columbus, and the rabid fan base called for head coach Ryan Day to be fired.

Ohio State then went on to win the College Football Playoff, being crowned national champions. A key reason for the turnaround was Alabama transfer Caleb Downs, who was a unanimous All-American this past season and named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. He finished the season with 81 total tackles, six pass breakups, two picks and a punt return touchdown.

While shining on the field, Downs has also been recognized for his success off of it, being named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" Local Columbus Class thanks to his leadership across sports and business.

An honor that led to Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork praising Downs on X for more than just his football ability.

"Amazing. Leader. Caleb. Is. One. Of. Best. Young. Men. I’ve. Ever. Been. Around. Buckeye Standard," wrote Bjork.

Fans are likely well aware of Downs' football talents, but he has also demonstrated considerable business acumen. He is a co-founder of the app Launch Point, which allows college athletes to connect with major brands for name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities. Downs told Eleven Warriors those connections can be challenging due to the lack of communication between players and the company.

“I feel like it can make NIL better for athletes because the app is easier to use for athletes and athletes can connect directly with the brand instead of going through their school,” Downs said. “A lot of those companies, you don't have a real way to communicate with them directly. So the best way to find a way to communicate with them directly is to hone it all into one app.”

Downs is viewed as a potential top 10 pick in next year's NFL draft class, but is clearly making sure he makes as big an impact as possible at the college level. He and the Buckeyes will open the season against Texas on Aug. 30 in a game that will be Fox's first "Big Noon Kickoff."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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