Caleb Downs came to Ohio State after a huge freshman season at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide with 107 tackles in 2023, becoming the first freshman in program history to do so. Then Nick Saban retired. Downs entered the transfer portal, and Ohio State landed the player they missed out on a year ago. However, Downs didn’t have the same defensive assignments at the Buckeyes that he had gotten used to in Tuscaloosa.

“Again, I can’t lie and say it didn’t affect me,” Downs said when Ryan Clark brought it up during an August 21 episode of The Pivot Podcast. “In Alabama, I was the field safety, and that was like strictly what I was. I was a field safety. Bumped down and played star sometimes, and then I was the dime. They’re going to funnel the ball to me. So it was cool. And then getting to Ohio State, the first couple games, it wasn’t necessarily like that.”

The Buckeyes already had Lathan Ransom, an experienced safety who had started in 2023 and returned for 2024. The defense also had an absurd amount of talent elsewhere. Nine starters returned from a unit that had ranked No. 1 nationally in passing defense in 2023. That meant Downs was sometimes the guy furthest away from the action. That also meant doing the same “boring” thing over and over.

“There’s another great safety like Lathan Ransom that’s there. So it’s not like the plays aren’t being made. That’s fine. But I get what. You’re in the deep part of the field. You’re just not going to throw the ball there,” Downs said. “It’s just you’re going to be pedaling to eternity.”

But Downs did not blame Ryan Day or demand that Ohio State change the defense for him. He actually gave the coaches credit for recognizing the problem. Gradually, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles made the required adjustments, identified his potential, and Downs fit into OSU’s schemes with incredible ease. Knowles allowed him to play more around the box while still using his range in coverage. That allowed Ohio State to take advantage of his ability to stop the run and cover receivers.

The numbers followed, too. Downs averaged four tackles over his first six regular-season games in 2024. Over his next eight, that jumped to six per game. He finished the season with 82 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and six pass breakups. He became a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Big Ten’s Defensive Back of the Year award. And then the 2025 season was even better.

Under new DC Matt Patricia, Downs fully unlocked his dynamic potential last season. He aligned in the box, matched up with the tight ends, and even defended deep. Patricia even used him to stop explosive receivers. Most importantly, that season showed that teams can potentially field Downs in several positions. As a result, the Cowboys came calling and drafted him at 11th overall in the 2026 NFL draft.