Caleb Downs Early 2026 NFL Draft Profile

Strengths

Downs has an incredible football IQ and the instincts needed to be a productive safety in the NFL. He shows the ability to trick quarterbacks into making bad throws in zone coverage. His tackling production is mainly due to his effectiveness defending the run. Downs excels at reading gaps and consistently being in the right spot to make tackles. He is patient when attacking downhill and doesn’t over-pursue often. His discipline keeps running backs from having open running lanes to pick up chunk plays. Downs plays bigger than his measurements and is a better tackler than most defensive backs.

He has excellent range, which allows him to cover space and make plays out of nowhere. Downs has good ball skills and has shown the ability to win in man coverage. There aren’t many players in college football who are more versatile than Downs. He can play as a deep safety, box safety, and a nickel defender.

Weaknesses

There isn’t much about Downs’ game that’s not to like. His frame is fairly average for a safety at 6 feet and 205 pounds. While he is good in man coverage, Downs may face size mismatches at the next level against tight ends and bigger wide receivers. He has limited experience as a single-high safety in his first two seasons. The speed and range are there, but the lack of experience in that role is a question mark.

Overview

Downs is the textbook definition of a blue-chip prospect. There aren’t many players who impact the game in as many aspects as Downs. He is a difference maker in both pass defense and run defense who makes life easier for his teammates. His reliable tackling and ability to take the right path to the running back make him a factor on almost all run plays. As impressive as his stats are, they don’t tell the whole story. Downs awareness to fill the right gap forces running backs to change direction and scramble into tackles. He has drawn comparisons to Ed Reed due to his instincts and football intelligence. Whether Downs is a top-two safety of all time remains to be seen, but the traits of a perennial All-Pro are there.

The biggest question for Downs is how early he can hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft? He has a strong case as the best overall prospect in the class, but safeties generally don’t get selected as high as other positions. The talent should make Downs a top-10 pick regardless, and it’s possible he is the first safety to be selected in the top five since Eric Berry. This all depends on how the draft order shakes out and what teams need what positions. Wherever Downs lands, he should make his team better for many years to come.