Caleb Downs, a top 2026 NFL prospect, reflects on his upbringing and training, including Oklahoma drills at home. He discusses his support system and insights from family and coaches as he prepares for the NFL.
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Caleb Downs' pro football dream made sense immediately. Not only was he the son of a seven-year NFL veteran, but he'd spent his early years moving coffee tables and couches out of the way for pint-sized Oklahoma drills against a brother who was also bound for the big leagues.
Downs is in position to sore even higher than father Gary or brother Josh. He emerged as one of 2026's top prospects, regardless of role, from the moment he took the field as a true freshman at the University of Alabama. One transfer to Ohio State (and subsequent national title) later, he's primed to have an immediate impact on Sundays.
Downs partnered with PayPal to knock out some pre-draft interviews and showcase his new sponsorship with a brand that's been around for (prepare to feel old) his entire life. Here's what he had to say about questions about his his role in a defense, the NFL player he thinks he's most similar to and why you should draft his Buckeye teammates.
"I feel like I have a great support system behind me with my parents [father Gary is an NFL veteran and current agent], with my brother [Indianapolis Colts wideout Josh], my aunts and uncles. Even Coach [Matt] Patricia, coach [Tyler] Walton, coach [Matt] Guerrieri, just giving me insight and everything like that. Even Coach [Nick] Saban and everybody that has helped me throughout my past... We still talk."
"I feel like as a defender, if you cannot do both, that's not a positive. So wherever you feel like the ball's going to be at and whatever system you're in, I feel like that's where you want me to be... My game is very well-rounded enough to be able to do both at a high level. So yeah, wherever the team needs me to play at.
"I don't know if I would use [the phrase] 'mold game after,' but there's a lot of safeties that I like to watch and everything like that. I would say Brian Branch, he's a very versatile player, plays in the slot, also can play in the deep part of the field and also can play in the box as well. So I feel like he can do a lot of different things.
"I've had those comparisons, especially with the people at Alabama, but he's also from Georgia, so there was that too. I Brian's good people, he's always been good to me and I look forward to playing against him."
Caleb Downs is the son of a seven-year NFL veteran and has been training since childhood, participating in Oklahoma drills at home.
The article does not provide specific details on why Caleb Downs considers Wisconsin the worst place he played.
Caleb Downs has a strong support system, including his father, brother, and several coaches, including Nick Saban.
Caleb Downs partnered with PayPal for pre-draft interviews and to showcase his new sponsorship.
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"Demeanor, however you present yourself to the quarterback. He's looking at mannerisms and intent before the play. So I would just say demeanor and how you present yourself.
"Film study is how you feel, get a feel for run or pass -- whether that's percentages, whether that's looking at a certain player. I would say that just depends on film study and everything like that. And the same thing for where the ball's going to go. Whether you're looking at the percentages of how the coach is going to call the game, where he's going to put the ball and whose hands is it going to be in. Also, is it just having a feel for the game?"
"I wouldn't say [brother Josh and he] were just doing one-on-ones in the backyard. That wasn't necessarily how it went down. My first interaction with football was just us going head to head and Oklahoma drills in our living room. So I would say that was the first interaction I had with him and in high school his team beat me. So we'll have to go back around this time.
"We moved the furniture away. It was just a bunch of carpet and pads hitting, so I think we moved the furniture out of there for that."
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs (2) reacts in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.
"Worst place to play? I feel like all the stadiums been pretty good, but I would say Purd-- Wisconsin had the least amount of people there. And then when it gets to the end of the third they do their thing [the Jump Around]. But before that, nobody was there for that game."
"You go on a trip with your friends to go to a game, somebody pays for the hotel. You've got to pay them back for your hotel room, things like that. Just go to the NFL games and there's things that somebody has to pay for and you may have to pay somebody back or you may have to send your PayPal link to somebody. That's a great way to use the app.
"You can do that. And then also if your friends want to take a trip somewhere to do a game together in the future you could create a PayPal pool and put your money in a pile and be able to do that. So I would just say the app is very friendly to use and it's a great way to peer-to-peer transfer."
WR Carnell Tate:
"Very silky, smooth route runner great hands, understands the games, understands the concepts. I feel like he also can be your dirty work blocker. If you watch this film from Texas this year, he did a lot of that for our team and it was a big thing.
"We actually came back after the game and the whole team watched it. Everybody was like 'okay, he's really doing that.' So I would just say really well-rounded player who can get open versus man, get open versus zone, and find those windows and zones. I feel like he's a really high level receiver."
TE Max Klare:
"I would say [he's a] high level route runner who can be definitely be your extra receiver and also a really good blocker on the edge and screens. Then, in the core does what he does [blocking] as well. So I would say he's definitely your extra receiver and can win versus man and can also find [holes in] zones as well."
RB CJ Donaldson:
"He's a do-it-all player. If you want to run him back to go out and catch the ball out of the backfield, if you want an extra H back to go block to be your lead blocker or just to hand the ball off to, he can do a lot of different things. He was great for us on short yarders this year, but he also has great hands in the pass game. So whether that's protection or just slipping out the backfield, I think he does that at a high level.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Caleb Downs on living room Oklahoma drills and why Wisconsin is the worst place he played