There’s always that one athlete. The one who doesn’t just play football—he rewrites the damn rules. In 2023, it was Marvin Harrison Jr. In 2024, it was Shedeur Sanders. Now, heading into 2025? It’s Caleb Downs, the walking cheat code in Ohio State’s secondary who just might pull off something we’ve never seen before. NFL scouts are foaming at the mouth. One even dropped the bomb: “He’s a better prospect than Sean Taylor.” Yessir, that’s 2004 Washington Redskins’ Sean Taylor. Well, it gets better.
You know it’s real when less than a month after the 2025 NFL Draft wrapped, the 2026 hype train already got its engine running—and at the front of that train? Caleb Downs, looking like the best defensive player in college football, maybe even the best overall player. Not a quarterback. A safety. And not just any safety—one that might just become the first ever taken top 3 in NFL Draft history.
On May 16th, The NFL Rookie dropped a spicy analysis that had X on fire: “Caleb Downs looks like he might be the BEST non-QB in the entire 2026 NFL Draft. Several NFL scouts reportedly believe Downs could ‘break the record’ and be the first safety drafted in the Top-3 in NFL history.” One scout even went full send: “Downs is a better prospect than Sean Taylor was in 2004.”
Pause. Sean Taylor comparisons? You don’t toss that name around unless a CB got that once-in-a-decade, ‘lock your best man down and hit you like a freight train’ energy. And yet… Caleb Downs might just be HIM.
Last season? Downs had 509 coverage snaps. He got targeted 32 times. Only gave up 20 catches. Zero touchdowns allowed. Just 188 yards. He grabbed 2 picks and broke up 6 more. That’s not just good. That’s ‘you-don’t-throw-it-his-way’ level elite. Man was out there running a no-fly zone solo. You could’ve put him in TSA gear with the way he locked up wideouts.
But what makes this storyline real cinematic is the path. Because Downs wasn’t just eating at Ohio State—he cooked at Alabama first. As a true freshman in 2023, CFBCB1 led Bama in tackles with 107. Straight out of high school. Named SEC Freshman of the Year. Locked in First-Team All-SEC. Freshman All-American. Then in 2024, he took his talents to Columbus and didn’t miss a beat. It’s like he switched jerseys, not dominance.
Ask Ohio State fans who the defining player of their 2025 national championship contender is, and many will say Jeremiah Smith—and rightfully so, he’s a phenomenal talent. But when you break it down pound-for-pound, no one had more impact than Caleb Downs. Offense gets the glitz; defense wins you the rings. Ask Georgia. Ask Bama. And now? Ask Columbus.
Caleb Downs: The Panthers’ interest
Now here’s where it gets even juicier—somebody is already trying to steal him. According to Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick, the Carolina Panthers are low-key projected to be picking 5th overall in next year’s NFL Draft, and guess who’s at the top of their wishlist? Caleb Downs. If that prediction hits, he’d be the highest-drafted safety ever. Carolina isn’t playing games. “Versatile, athletic, and highly talented, Downs wears a lot of hats in Ohio State’s secondary,” Flick wrote. “He’d be a perfect chess piece for the Panthers’ evolving defense.”
The Panthers’ defense is in the middle of a glow-up. They just added guys like Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III up front to plug those interior lanes. But it’s the back end that’s shaky. Lathan Ransom is there, but he’s more of a box safety. You need a true field general in the secondary—and Downs is that and then some.
He doesn’t just hit. He diagnoses plays like he’s got the opposing OC in a group chat. Coverage? He can mirror tight ends, track slot guys, bait QBs into bad throws—he does it all without overcommitting. Carolina has been switching toward a more aggressive, disguise-heavy defensive identity, and Downs would be the chess master in a room full of pawns.
Schematically, Carolina runs a 3-4 base, but they’re living in nickel and dime packages these days. You have to, especially in a pass-happy NFC South. That means safeties have to cover ground, take on man assignments, and even blitz. Downs is basically a plug-and-play star. Slot him in anywhere, and he makes it work. Deep third? Check. In the box? Check. Man up a TE? Done. He’s not just versatile—he’s a damn transformer.
And let’s not forget what Bryce Young and that Panthers offense are going through. 2025 is a do-or-die season for Carolina. If they stumble and land another top 5 pick, they can’t afford to miss. They don’t need a developmental QB or another flashy wideout—they need a culture-setter. A cornerstone. A DB who shows up on Day 1 and changes the tone in the locker room.
That’s Caleb Downs.
Let’s be honest—offensive stars get the endorsements, but defensive dogs get the respect. And Downs? He’s got both. Every snap he plays feels like a highlight waiting to happen. You can’t teach those instincts. You can’t coach up that vision. And you definitely can’t fake that presence. The moment he steps on an NFL field, he’s going to turn heads.
So if you’re Carolina and you end up sitting at pick No. 5… you sprint to the podium. Forget the stopwatch. Forget positional value. You draft the guy who looks like a future Hall of Famer. You draft Caleb Downs. And you let that man anchor your secondary for the next decade.
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