Malik Nabers' reaction to Cowboys' draft pick should thrill Dallas fans

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs is selected by the Dallas Cowboys as the No. 11 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Giants WR Malik Nabers' reaction to Cowboys drafting Ohio State star Caleb Downs should thrill Dallas fans

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 24, 2026 12:01 AM ET

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New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers wanted to play with Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs. Instead, he'll be facing him twice a year.

The Giants passed on Downs (6-foot, 206 pounds) with the 10th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (6-foot-5, 329 pounds). That was a surprise, as many mocks had New York taking him.

The Dallas Cowboys subsequently traded pick No. 12 and two fifth-rounders (No. 177 and No. 180) to the Miami Dolphins to move up to pick No. 11 and grab Downs. Nabers wishes they hadn't.

Malik Nabers was upset Cowboys took Caleb Downs instead of Giants

Nabers was livestreaming with Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons during the draft on Thursday night. He hopped off the couch and sighed after the Cowboys turned in their card.

"I'd rather get him than play against him," Nabers said. "I gotta play against this thing again. Bro, he's good. He's very good. We all got him No. 1."

Malik Nabers' reaction to the Cowboys trading up and drafting Caleb Downs pic.twitter.com/dgyuC2ocJ5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 24, 2026

Former LSU Tigers star Nabers played Downs when he still starred for the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2023 season. In a 42-28 Crimson Tide win, he had a game-high 13 tackles. The Ohio State star had two interceptions and five tackles for loss in 2025, earning a first-team All-American nod.

Scouts would agree with Nabers' assessment of Downs. Many view him as a generational safety prospect. In February, The Athletic's Dane Brugler shared that some talent evaluators have told him he's the best college safety they've ever seen.

Fun question I've been asking to scouts: "Caleb Downs is the best safety prospect you've personally scouted since....?"

A few have answered "Ever" https://t.co/6jOUZWe677
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 12, 2026

"Caleb Downs is the single best prospect for the 2026 draft cycle," wrote Bleacher Report's Daniel Harms in his scouting report. "With his experience in [Ohio State defensive coordinator] Matt Patricia's defense, he's going to hit the ground running for whatever team drafts him."

With that in mind, Downs should help improve a Cowboys secondary that ranked last in the league in passing yards allowed (251.5 yards per game) last season. And judging by his reaction, Nabers expects Downs to make it much harder for him to get open next season. The WR's response may have the Giants second-guessing their selection.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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