The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Ohio State Buckeyes dominated Day 1, with four of their players getting selected in the first 11 picks. Among that group was superstar safety Caleb Downs, who ended up getting taken with the No. 11 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys after they traded up one spot to select him.
From a pure football perspective, many evaluators argued that Downs was the most talented player in the 2026 draft class. While he has a lot going right for him on the field, he’s also got some big things taking place off the field, as he recently partnered with PayPal, which is the NFL’s official peer-to-peer payments partner. Before the draft, Downs spoke with Heavy on Ohio State about his work with PayPal, while also looking ahead to his rookie season with the Cowboys.
Caleb Downs Dishes on Upcoming Rookie Season with the Cowboys
During his two seasons with Ohio State, Downs was simply dominant, earning All-American honors both years and finishing ninth in the Heisman Trophy race in 2025. And while Downs has all the talent in the world, making the jump to the NFL is no easy task. Downs knows that he’s got his work cut out for him, but he’s looking forward to hitting the ground running and learning what it takes to succeed in the pros.
“Each new level that you go to, you get to learn the game again,” Downs told Heavy on Ohio State. “I’m really excited, I love to learn. That’s one thing I’ve been looking forward to, is just being able to have a new challenge and to learn a new game. There’s differences between college and pro, and there was differences between high school and college. I feel like just learning those differences and learning the difference in the play style, I feel like those are big things.”
Downs comes from a deep football family, which should help with his transition. His father, Gary, spent seven years in the NFL as a running back, and his brother, Josh, is currently a wide receiver with the Indianapolis Colts. Even his uncle, Dre’ Bly, was a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback who won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams. Downs has seen what it takes to succeed in the NFL, and he’s picked up some key tidbits from watching his family members play in the pros.
“I would just say the importance of routine,” Downs said when asked if there’s anything he’s picked up from watching his family play in the NFL. “I feel like having your habits are going to create what you are as a person and what you are as a player. So finding those habits every day that put you in a routine for success.”
During his time in college, Downs accomplished quite a bit, which puts him in a unique position to become an immediate contributor for Dallas. And yet, while he enjoyed a decorated collegiate career, the star safety realizes the work has only just begun for him. “The goal was never to end up with college accolades,” Downs admitted. “It’s not the end goal, and there’s more to do … There’s more to accomplish, more to strive for, and I’ve always known that for myself.”
Caleb Downs Discusses New Partnership with PayPal
GettyOhio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs
Getting drafted by the Cowboys isn’t the only big development in Downs’ life as of late. He’s also decided to partner with PayPal, which recently announced a multi-year deal with the NFL that will see the company be the league’s official peer-to-peer payment partner. Downs knows how much of a hassle peer-to-peer payments can be, which is a big reason why he opted to work with PayPal.
“Just how accessible it is and how easy it is to use,” Downs said when asked what stood out to him about PayPal. “Maybe I go to a game, me and my friends are there, and somebody has to pay and you need to pay them back at some point, I feel like that’s the easiest way to do it … There’s just so many ways to make it useful, and that just spoke to me.”
Having been a sports fan long before he found his way into the NFL, Downs knows what it’s like to be in the stands watching games. Being on the other side of interactions with fans as a player now is still “surreal” for Downs, and it is something he is still getting used to. By teaming up with PayPal, Downs is hoping to help make the lives of sports fans everywhere easier.
“It’s a great way to help fans transfer money,” Downs said. “There’s always opportunities for peer-to-peer transactions, especially around football and around sporting events. I just thought it was a useful thing to be a part of.”
PayPal’s partnership with the NFL is designed to highlight the league’s continued international expansion, as the popular app reaches 110+ countries and over 14,000 different banks. PayPal is also directly connected with Venmo now, which will make it even easier for fans to send and receive money during the upcoming football season.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Exclusive: Caleb Downs is Ready to Make the Jump from Ohio State to the NFL appeared first on Heavy Sports.