The Ohio State Buckeyes have plenty of talent headed off to the professional level in the 2026 NFL Draft, but Caleb Downs has a chance to be the best.
Downs, who transferred to Ohio State from the Alabama Crimson Tide a couple of years back, is widely expected to be a top-10 pick. He’s also a player who many believe could become the cornerstone of an NFL defense.
Throughout the course of the 2025 college football season with the Buckeyes, Downs put up great production once again. He racked up 68 total tackles to go along with a sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and a defended pass.
During his entire three-year college career, Downs totaled 256 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, six interceptions, and 10 defended passes.
With that being said, which NFL team could end up deciding to select Downs? There has been a lot of hype about the New York Giants being a potential destination. Another team to watch could be the Tennessee Titans.
However, there is one NFC franchise who could consider trading up aggressively to select Downs.
Ohio State’s Caleb Downs Would Fit Perfectly With the Minnesota Vikings
As of right now, the Minnesota Vikings hold the No. 18 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Clearly, they’re not going to be able to land him if they stand pat and don’t make a move.
However, the Vikings are going to need help at the safety position. Harrison Smith is getting old and many believe that he could retire this offseason.
Should Smith decide to call it a career, Minnesota could be a candidate to trade up for Downs.
Downs would immediately be able to step into a starting role for the Vikings. Filling the shoes of a longtime star like Smith is no easy task, but Downs has the talent and potential to do it.
Landing with Minnesota will not be the most likely outcome of the draft for Downs. That being said, it can’t be ruled out. If the Vikings decide to get aggressive, Downs would be an ideal target and a great reason to make a splash trade.
Caleb Downs Lands Epic NFL Comparison
At this point in time, no one can predict the future of Downs at the next level. He could turn into an all-time star or he could be a bust.
Despite the unpredictable nature of the future, one NFL analyst has revealed an epic comparison for the Ohio State star.
Bleacher Report’s Daniel Harms made a comparison between Downs and former NFL superstar safety Eric Berry.
Berry was a star during his professional career. Across eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, he recorded 445 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 14 interceptions, five defensive touchdowns, and 50 defended passes.
If Downs can carve out that kind of a career and live up to the comparison, he would go down as a massive success. The Buckeyes have churned out a lot of top-tier NFL talent over the years and Downs could be the next big thing to come out of Ohio State.
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