The Dallas Cowboys may have landed one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft, because Caleb Downs is already looking like an absolute dawg.
Dallas selected the former Ohio State safety 11th overall, and the hype surrounding Downs has only continued to grow throughout training camp. Recent reports have him turning heads quickly, and NFL.com already has him among the leading candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
And really, should anybody be surprised?
Downs was one of the most complete defensive players in college football. After beginning his career at Alabama, he became a superstar at Ohio State, winning a national championship and eventually earning the Jim Thorpe Award, Lott Trophy and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. Dallas wasn’t drafting a developmental prospect. They were drafting someone who already looked ready for Sundays.
What separates Downs is how many different ways he can impact a game. He can come downhill and hit, cover in space, diagnose plays quickly and create turnovers. That versatility gives Dallas the ability to move him around instead of treating him like a traditional safety.
And he’s apparently wasting little time showing it. One recent Cowboys camp evaluation went as far as suggesting Downs could already be Dallas’ best defensive player, which is an insane statement for someone who hasn’t played a regular-season NFL snap yet.
The football bloodlines don’t hurt either. His father, Gary Downs, played seven NFL seasons, his uncle Dré Bly had an 11-year NFL career, and his brother Josh Downs is already an NFL receiver. Caleb has essentially been surrounded by high-level football his entire life.
Now comes the question: Could Downs actually win DROY?
Absolutely.
Safety isn’t always the easiest position to win the award from, especially when pass rushers can pile up flashy sack numbers. But Downs has the talent and opportunity to become an immediate centerpiece of the Cowboys defense. If the interceptions, tackles and highlight-reel plays start piling up, voters aren’t going to be able to ignore him.
Dallas drafted Downs hoping to find a difference-maker.
They might have found an absolute dawg — and potentially the 2026 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
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