Coming out of Mill Creek High School, Caleb Downs was a five-star recruit. After playing for two colleges, to being the No.11 pick in the NFL, he has come a long way. So, after he got the call from Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones, Caleb Downs burst into tears. 

Jones and the Cowboys traded up to draft the safety out of the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Cowboys initially held the No.12 pick but were able to strike a deal with the Miami Dolphins by giving up No.12 and Nos. 177 and 180 to get No.11. During the draft day, Caleb Downs’ brother, Josh, captured the emotional moment.

“Cowboys, lets go!” he cheered the newly drafted safety. 

Caleb Downs becomes the third member of his family and the second generation to play in the NFL. His father, Gary Downs, played in the league from 1994 to 2000, and his elder brother, Josh Downs, currently plays on the Indianapolis Colts as a wide receiver.

However, Caleb Downs is the first player to be selected in the first round in his family. Gary Downs will be delighted as a father for his son. But when it comes to the team that drafted him, he might be reminded of his time in the NFL.

After all, the call came from the Dallas Cowboys, a fierce rival of the New York Giants, where Gary Downs was a running back. But in the end, Caleb Downs must be happy to maintain the legacy.

"(My family is) probably the biggest contributor to that," Downs said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "My dad was a coach, played, my brother played, my uncle played, my other uncle was a coach. Just being around the game has allowed me to grow a lot with my knowledge of football and how I see the game."

But was landing with the Cowboys a surprise for Caleb Downs?

Things Fell Into Place for Caleb Downs and the Dallas Cowboys

Caleb Downs confirmed he did not have a formal visit with Dallas prior to being drafted 11th overall in 2026.

"So actually, we didn’t have a formal visit. We actually missed out on that, but it all worked out in the end," he said.

Downs has the instincts and football IQ to eliminate much of the “grey area” that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker wants out of the unit. He sounded confident about the opportunity.

"I think it's just being able to make plays in all facets of the game," Caleb Downs sounded excited about joining the Cowboys' defense. "Whether that's near the line of scrimmage or in the deep part of the field, I feel like I could do it all and it'll be a great relationship to be able to do that with the Cowboys."

Can Caleb Downs flip the script after the Cowboys finished last in the NFL at No.32 in defense? Share your thoughts.

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Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar