Caleb Downs is a generational prospect. He would be the main attraction of any defense he went to; that was known before the Dallas Cowboys drafted him. They moved up a spot in the draft to bag him at No. 11 before anyone else, after trading away their 12th, 177th, and 180th picks to the Miami Dolphins. However, the Cowboys had another plan in place. 

“We were nervous,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on the Twin Takes podcast. “We had four guys targeted that we really felt strongly about, that would fit great in our culture, and our football team. And Caleb was at the top of that list. We actually had a deal in place, we had a trade in place with Kansas City that we were hoping to be able to make a move for. Well, they moved up early in the draft to the top four or five for Mansoor Delane, so we were kind of like, ‘Okay, we’ve lost that opportunity.’”

The Cowboys’ deal with the Chiefs involved moving up to the 9th overall pick, which Kansas held in the original draft order. Per an analysis by Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond, this hypothetical trade would have earned the Cowboys the 29th and 109th overall picks. In exchange, the Chiefs would get the 12th, 20th, 152nd, and 180th picks. But the availability of Louisiana State cornerback Mansoor Delane was too good for Kansas to pass up.

Chiefs Nation had lost four of their cornerbacks, including Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Josh Williams, and Nazeeh Johnson. Drafting Delane was essential, and they traded with the Cleveland Browns to secure the Maryland native with the sixth overall pick. 

However, the Cowboys were in for a surprise. Downs was surprisingly passed on by the top 10 teams, which Dallas did not expect. The safety was overwhelmingly projected as a Top-10 pick in the lead-up to the draft. Taking advantage of this unique situation, the Cowboys traded with the Dolphins and picked off one of the best defenders in the 2026 draft class.

Downs is a former five-star recruit, a two-time Unanimous All-American, and a former CFP National Championship winner. Last year, he recorded 68 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, and an interception. Downs’ football IQ has been lauded by experts, with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler deeming it “above average.” 

“Simply put, Downs’s accountability, preparation, and work ethic are legendary,” draft analyst Todd McShay wrote. “And he’s an all-time force multiplier as a leader in the locker room.” 

Caleb Downs came to a team that desperately needed his skills. The Cowboys ended the season with the league’s worst overall defense, ranking 30th. They allowed 377 total yards per game, along with a league-high total of 60 touchdowns. Dallas was dead last in pass defense, having given up 251.5 yards per game and 35 passing touchdowns in total. 

While the Cowboys came out on top in the race for Downs, other teams were also considering the versatile safety for their own rosters.

What other teams were looking at Caleb Downs?

“He’s a prize for us sitting there with the fives (fifth-round picks),” team owner Jerry Jones said. “[without] the fives, when it would absolutely cut your heart out. And we’ve had it done. I’ve had it done. I was just thinking of the times that we’ve been the next pick and had somebody move up and get him. We had every reason to think that that might be happening. … Didn’t want to lose him.” 

While they did not end up losing him, it came as a disappointment to other teams looking to reinforce their own defensive lineups. The Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints were the two other major candidates vying for Downs. Early reports before the draft noted that the Washington Commanders were another team that could have their sights set on Downs.

The New York Giants traded Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 pick, and analysts assumed it would be for Downs. But the Giants ended up taking offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.  

But per reports, the Cowboys were the team that needed Downs’ talents the most.

During his time with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Downs won the Lott Trophy (awarded to a college defensive player “for their personal character and athletic abilities”) and the Jim Thorpe Award (awarded to the best defensive back in college). The Cowboys’ deal with the Chiefs was an early attempt to secure the most prolific defensive prospect of the 2026 draft.