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Of all of Ohio State’s transfer portal and freshman prospects, safety Caleb Downs may be the most interesting. The Alabama transfer is coming off a fantastic freshman season in Tuscaloosa, which led to him being the highest-ranked transfer portal player this past offseason.
In 2023, Downs became the first Alabama freshman in history to lead the team in tackles (107). He also had a knack for making big plays, finishing the season with 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, five passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. His two interceptions ranked him second on the Crimson Tide.
Despite his importance on defense, he was too good to keep the special teams at bay. Downs returned four punts for an average of 21.75 yards and scored one touchdown.
After his freshman year of college football, Downs was named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, a first-team All-American by Focus on professional footballan Associated Press second-team All-American and The sports news, the SEC Freshman of the Year and made the All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC teams.
His talent is undeniable on both sides of the ball, and Ohio State even gave him workouts at running back during spring practice in March and April as a contingency plan for the fall in case he is needed on offense.
Downs’ pedigree is also undisputed, as his father, Gary Downs, was a running back in the NFL for the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, while his uncle is former Pro Bowl defensive back Dre Bly. After graduating from Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia, he was heavily courted by every major program in the country. There, he was a five-star recruit and one of the most promising young players in the country, receiving scholarship offers from more than 30 schools.
People across the country are expecting big things from Downs at Ohio State University, as he was one of four Buckeyes named to the preseason All-American list in August.
Downs, who transferred in January, spoke openly about his reasons for wanting to join the Buckeyes – a team that was among his original five choices out of high school, along with Bama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Georgia.
“I believe in Coach Day and I believe in this team,” Downs told reporters in January. “They played great defense last year. Just watching the film and watching their progress and their defense last year definitely helped me make a more informed decision and have more facts about what I’m getting into.”
Downs should only improve a pass defense that ranked No. 1 nationally in 2023, allowing just 145.9 yards per game through the air. He will also help against the run, as evidenced by his 107 tackles a year ago. Those 107 tackles are more than double the number of Ohio State’s leading safety tackler last year (Sonny Styles – 52).
Although his importance on defense should deter Ohio State’s coaches from using him offensively, his abilities on special teams shouldn’t be underestimated. The Buckeyes have struggled in that phase of the game in recent years, and Down’s punt returns, while not entirely without risk, could give the Buckeyes a game-winning advantage they’ve lacked. It’s not as common as it once was, but having the best players on the field for as many snaps as possible was once the industry standard (see also: Ted Ginn, Jr.).
Signing Downs could take Ohio State’s defense from good to elite. Despite several quarterbacks entering the transfer portal and a world-class wide receiver joining as a freshman, the safety transfer from Alabama could be the Buckeyes’ most impactful addition in 2024.
