Part 11, S: Why Caleb Downs, a 'slam dunk,' is one of the best players in the NFL Draft

Names of all-time greats come to mind. Scouts view the Ohio State chess piece as a true difference-maker in the pros. Are there others, too? Bob McGinn details in full.

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This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-‘2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Eleventh of 12 parts: safeties.

By Bob McGinn

For the most part, drafting safeties with a top-10 pick has been a rewarding venture for NFL teams. Now how that applies to Caleb Downs later this month and in the future remains to be seen.

Most personnel men don’t hesitate when asked to name the best player they ever scouted at a certain position. When it comes to safeties, often the response is Sean Taylor.

Taylor was one of the 16 safeties drafted in the top 10 since the advent of the NFL-AFL common draft in 1967. Taylor was able to play in just 55 games, the fewest of the 16, before he was shot to death late in his fourth season for Washington in 2007.

“As much as I like Caleb Downs, he is no Sean Taylor,” said an executive in personnel with 20-plus years of scouting experience. “It was almost like having a corner, a safety and a will linebacker in the game at the same time. That’s how great he was.

“I don’t see Caleb Downs being a corner like Sean Taylor was. I don’t see Caleb Downs playing will linebacker in nickel. He’s a downhill, very good tackler with very good instincts. He’s very smart, and he can run. I just don’t see the versatile toolbox that Sean Taylor was. He was the best ever. God rest his soul. They took him way too soon.”

Another executive was asked if Downs or linebacker Arvell Reese was the most valuable player on Ohio State’s superlative defense in 2025.

“In the Big Ten, I’d say Arvell Reese meant more to that defense but Downs might be the better pro,” the scout said. “That was an NFL defense, a good NFL defense. Safeties shouldn’t go high but when they’re like this … he’s a slam dunk.”

The 16 top-10 safeties in the last 59 years were Keith Simpson (No. 9, 1970), Kenny Easley (No. 4, 1981), Terry Kinard (No. 10, 1983), Russell Carter (No. 10, 1984), Bennie Blades (No. 3, 1988), Mark Carrier (No. 6, 1990), Eric Turner (No. 2, 1991), Stanley Richard (No. 9, 1991), Roy Williams (No. 8, 2002), Sean Taylor (No. 5, 2004), Michael Huff (No. 7, 2006), Donte Whitner (No. 8, 2006), Laron Landry (No. 6, 2007), Eric Berry (No. 5, 2010), Mark Barron (No. 7, 2012) and Jamal Adams (No. 6, 2017).

The only Hall of Famer was Easley. The only bust was Carter.

Easley’s career was ended after 89 games by kidney disease. Turner died of cancer at age 31 after a series of major injuries waylaid his career. Berry retired after 89 games because of knee, Achilles’ tendon and heel injuries not to mention a bout with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Eleven of the 16 made the Pro Bowl at least once. The leaders, with five, were Easley, Williams and Berry. The non-Pro Bowlers were Simpson, Carter, Richard, Huff and Barron.

Carrier, the leader in games played (168) and starts (164), and Easley shared the career interception lead with 32. Carter and Adams, each with four, had the fewest picks.

“If you were trying to put a team together with a quarterback Downs would be your guy,” said another executive. “He was always one step ahead of everybody else. When they say someone’s playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers, he’s that guy. He won a national championship with two different teams using two different styles of play.”

Links:

• Part 1, WR: Who’s the next star wideout?

• Part 2, TE: Kenyon Sadiq and the hunt for matchup nightmares

• Part 3, T: Why Francis Mauigoa ‘n co. may define the 2026 NFL Draft

• Part 4, G/C: Why this is the year to draft a center

• Part 5, QB: The Fernando Mendoza Question

• Part 6, RB: Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love? ‘The best NFL prospect in this draft

• Part 7, DL: Secure your space-eater

• Part 8, Edge: Deep 2026 class promises to torment quarterbacks

• Part 9, LB: How should an NFL team unleash Arvell Reese?

• Part 10, CB: McCoy? Delane? Hood? Inside the debate at the top...

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SAFETIES

1. CALEB DOWNS, Ohio State (5-11 ½, 207, no 40, 1): Weighed and measured at the combine but didn’t work out. Did position drills only March 25 at pro day. As much as teams preparing to pay him millions would like to know his stopwatch speed, grumbling seems to be at a minimum. “He didn’t do anything (at the combine), and he doesn’t need to,” said one scout. “He was there cheering up his guys. He’s taken every opportunity with grace and he’s kind of happy to be there, where some guys would opt out of a bunch of stuff and have a crappy attitude. It’s probably more just (high) character with Caleb. They talk about how intelligent he is and how mature he is. In his interview you can get a feel for that. A guy that rushes the passer (Arvell Reese) has more value but Caleb is wired different. He is smart, he is mature, he is humble.”