One of the most surprising stories to come out of the NFL Combine involved Caleb Downs after reports surfaced that he was dealing with a knee injury. The former Ohio State safety suffered an ACL injury, which could potentially hurt his draft stock. However, former LSU defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko shared an interesting detail about the situation, revealing a conversation he had with an AFC East executive who spilled the truth about Downs’ injury.

In a post on X, Fehoko said an AFC East executive had spent a significant amount of time interviewing and evaluating Caleb Downs in person. This indicates that the executive is quite familiar with Downs. Reports had claimed that Downs was dealing with two knee issues, including a partially torn meniscus and a degenerative ACL. However, Fehoko said the executive dismissed those claims and described them as nothing more than “bad reporting.”

“Bad reporting and example A of pre-draft smoke and mirrors. Every player we get at the Combine is going to have some type of pre-existing injury,” Fehoko quoted the executive.

According to the executive, the reports surrounding Downs may simply be noise during the pre-draft process. What makes the claim interesting is that several sources have reported the same injury concerns. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants have both shown interest in the safety, with the Steelers even holding a formal meeting with him at the NFL Combine. Downs has been on the radar of multiple teams, and for good reason.

He has been a reliable safety for Ryan Day’s Ohio State over the past two seasons. Downs played a key role in Ohio State’s 2024 national championship run and remained an important piece of the defense under Matt Patricia last season. He had 68 total tackles, one pass defended, one sack, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions in a defensive unit considered the best in the country last season.

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Because of his production and talent, Downs was projected as a potential early-round draft pick. However, the recent injury reports have made the situation complex. Whether the concerns are exaggerated or legitimate, teams may hesitate if they believe Downs is prone to injuries. After all, a player dealing with a major knee issue like an ACL injury could potentially be a bust in the long run, making him a risky pick.

However, this injury development could work out perfectly in favor of the Steelers.

Caleb Downs’ injury reports may open the door for the Steelers

The Steelers made their interest in Caleb Downs clear after holding a formal meeting with him. However, the situation also creates a challenge for Pittsburgh. Downs is widely regarded as a highly touted prospect and is expected to be selected in the early rounds of the NFL Draft. Meanwhile, the Steelers hold the No. 21 overall pick, which could make it difficult for them to land the former Ohio State safety.

The ACL injury reports could cause Downs to slide down the draft listing. The source of the concern was Draft on Draft’s Cory Kinnan. He cited an anonymous NFC scout saying Downs “had a couple of issues flagged during his medical check” at the Combine in Indianapolis. 

“Nobody expected him to test this week anyway, so it flew a bit under the radar,” Kinnan wrote. “However, I was told that Downs was flagged with a partially torn meniscus this week. That is not a serious concern, but also being flagged with a potentially degenerative ACL is.” 

Kinnan did add important context, clarifying, “Now, this is not to signify any sort of a significant drop for Downs, who likely will return and get a second opinion and a second check. Besides, plenty of NFL players have been flagged with degenerative knees before, but have gone on to have successful NFL careers.”

However, if the verdict remains the same after Downs gets a second opinion, the degenerative ACL reports could cause him to slide down the draft listing. If that happens, it may create a better opportunity for the Steelers to select the young safety. It is unlikely that Downs will fall all the way to the No. 21 pick, but Pittsburgh could attempt to trade up if the situation develops in their favor.

For now, Downs remains on the radar of several teams. His situation creates an interesting dilemma for the NFL teams. While the injury concerns may make some teams cautious, Caleb Downs’ talent is undeniable. That raises the key question: will teams overlook the injury concerns and select him early, or will he slide down the draft board and potentially land with a team like the Steelers?