Ryan Day’s Ohio State could have made history in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. After getting the third-most (11) invites at this year’s NFL Combine, Ohio State was a step closer to becoming the first team in NFL draft history to get four players picked in the top 10. But Caleb Downs slipped to the 11th overall pick. He was ultimately picked by the Cowboys. Will the 10 teams that passed on him regret the decision? Ryan Day thinks so.

“Some guys came off the board in front of somebody like Caleb Downs. It just kind of makes you think, I wonder where they’re going to be in five to ten years, looking back on this draft, and if they have any regrets,” Day said in an interview on April 24. “But I know the Cowboys got a great one…I don’t think there was any doubt that he is a generational player. Talking to different clubs, the feedback we’ve got in his interviews, his production on the field.”

Ohio State began the draft night on a strong note when the Tennessee Titans picked WR Carnell Tate at 4th overall. The Giants took linebacker Arvell Reese at 5th overall. Sonny Styles, though, went to the Washington Commanders at 7th overall, as many mock drafts predicted. In truth, the Jets taking Texas Tech’s David Bailey instead of Arvell Reese changed the whole top-10 dynamic.

The New York Jets had an impending need for an edge rusher, and there were only two legit options: David Bailey and Arvell Reese. The team took David Bailey for his experience at the edge rusher position and his standout 2025 performance. Arvell Reese, on the contrary, could also have played at the position, but he was always going to be a developmental prospect, needing time to fit in at the edge rusher. So, as soon as the Jets took Bailey, Downs automatically got downgraded since he was the third-best OSU player in defense behind Reese and Styles.

“I think the interesting thing is watching the draft year in and year out,” Day said. “You see certain things that kind of make you look at things sideways. But you know, each club has its own needs, and sometimes they have a positional need that they need to fill. Other times, you know you get the best available. But it is just sitting there as a coach.”

Then there was the NFL GMs’ reluctance to draft a safety higher. Even though Caleb Downs isn’t your ‘regular’ safety and has also played significantly in the box, displaying varied skill sets, not everyone was confident about drafting him. Enter Dallas Cowboys. The team had an impending need for a nickel defender, as Brian Schottenheimer highlighted. Moreover, new DC Christian Parker’s sub-package schemes will ensure plenty of snaps for Downs, even as a rookie. Downs, too, has always remained confident in his skill set.

Caleb Down always believed in his skillsets

Historically, QBs have been the most prized possession for teams in the NFL draft. Naturally, they have gone in the top-10 49 times, followed by offensive tackles with 42 selections, edge rushers (38), wide receivers (37), and cornerbacks (25). For safeties, top-10 selections have always been rare. Since 2000, teams have selected only eight safeties in the top 10, with Jamal Adams being the most recent in 2017. But that didn’t stop Downs from making a case for his excellence.

“At the end of the day, it’s about affecting the game,” Downs said at his Pro Day. “Whoever affects the game the most should be picked the highest — and I feel like I do it at the highest level. You’re getting a really talented player, a real smart player, that can come and make an impact on the field and in the facility to make a culture change.”

Caleb Downs comes off an immense 3-year experience at Alabama and Ohio State. In that time, he racked up 257 tackles, 16 TFLs, and six interceptions. He displayed the ability to defend the run, becoming a menace at the line of scrimmage and contributing in man coverage if the play demanded. Add Downs’ ability to man the slot, and outside, he easily becomes one of the best players in this year’s NFL draft.