Following a trade with the Miami Dolphins, the Dallas Cowboys have selected Ohio State superstar, Caleb Downs, with the 11th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dallas flipped two fifth-round picks and the 12th overall pick to go up and get their guy. We had heard for months that this kind of move was possible, but there was always some hesitancy from fans on whether this front office would actually go for that kind of move.
Initially, we saw a run on the top defenders that made it look like the Cowboys would not have a shot at a blue-chip defensive prospect, but back-to-back offensive line selections opened the door for an aggressive move with Miami, and they didn’t waste the opportunity.
So, Cowboys fans, let me be totally clear here: this is a phenomenal selection by Dallas; arguably, it is their best since CeeDee Lamb in 2020 — let me explain why.
Downs To Dallas: Superstar Talent With 11th Pick
Caleb Downs started his collegiate career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, where, as an 18-year-old freshman, he tallied over 100 total tackles and was named an All-American. After Nick Saban retired, Downs transferred out to Ohio State, where he continued his dominance.
In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Downs won a national championship and was a 2x Unanimous All-American.
In 2025, he was the Big-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
Downs is a genuinely special talent, and arguably the best safety prospect in NFL history, as The Athletic’s Dane Bruglar reported some scouts were saying earlier in the draft process.
He is going to play all over in Christian Parker’s Dallas defense, and he provides that long-needed center of the unit. Of course, he has his flaws (not the biggest or freakiest athlete), and he will have to make the jump to the NFL, but Downs immediately changes the entire outlook of the Cowboys’ D.
We will see him blitz, line up at corner, play over the top, and basically everything in between. The sole reason he dropped to this spot is that the safety position has historically been undervalued.
In my rankings, Downs came in third overall on my big board, only behind Jeremiyah Love and his teammate Sonny Styles.
Now, we turn our focus to the Cowboys’ 20th overall selection, where I expect we will see an EDGE rusher prioritized from the front office.
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