Caleb Downs credits Army veteran grandfather for helping shape his path to the NFL ahead of draft

Ohio State standout information Caleb Downs is group to go nan 3rd personnel of his family to participate nan NFL, and he’s very apt to beryllium nan first to perceive their sanction called connected time 1 of nan NFL Draft.

Downs’ father, Gary Downs, was a moving backmost that nan New York Giants took successful nan 3rd information of nan 1994 NFL Draft retired of NC State. He ended up playing six years successful nan league, 2 years pinch New York, 3 pinch nan Atlanta Falcons and 1 twelvemonth pinch nan Denver Broncos, earlier playing his past crippled successful 2000.

Then, there’s his eldest son, Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs, nan 24-year-old who has enjoyed a coagulated commencement to his young profession aft being taken successful nan 3rd information of nan 2023 NFL Draft retired of UNC. Also, ex-NFL cornerback Dré Bly, who spent 11 years successful nan league, is Downs' uncle.

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Caleb Downs of nan Ohio State Buckeyes looks connected earlier nan College Football Playoff quarterfinal crippled against nan Miami Hurricanes astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, connected Dec. 31, 2025. (CFP/Getty Images)

So, arsenic Caleb Downs prepares to very apt perceive his sanction called successful nan first information connected Thursday night, Fox News Digital asked astir his family’s impact, particularly arsenic he looks for a seamless modulation into nan pros. But while his begetter and relative person nan NFL pedigree, Caleb pointed to nan patriarch of nan family, 23-year United States Army seasoned Gary Downs Sr., arsenic nan 1 who group nan reside since he was a kid.

"I consciousness for illustration everything my grandfather instilled successful america -- consistency, discipline, difficult work, and everything for illustration that – that’s why we’re present today," he said, while besides discussing his business pinch USAA, nan charismatic "Salute to Service" partner of nan NFL.

"I retrieve times we would spell to my aunt’s house, and my dada would title my uncle down nan thoroughfare and worldly for illustration that arsenic a kid. We were conscionable ever very competitory arsenic kids, and those memories are instilled successful me, and I consciousness for illustration that’s 1 of nan reasons I’m present today."

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As a kid, Caleb didn’t needfully understand what his grandfather meant erstwhile he said he was a "jumpmaster," aliases a paratrooper responsible for nan information and training of airborne operations, but he learned much arsenic he grew into nan man, and shot player, he is today.

Downs Sr. retired from nan Army connected July 1, 1998, but his mentality ne'er changed pinch his children and grandchildren, which is what Caleb is grateful for heading into this pivotal infinitesimal of his profession connected nan gridiron.

"I would conscionable opportunity done my dad. The measurement he led his family," Caleb said erstwhile asked really his grandfather has impacted him connected and disconnected nan field. "He raised his boy to lead my family nan measurement he did. I consciousness for illustration nan measurement you lead your family successful position of really you run arsenic a father, that’s been passed down to his son, my dad, and hopefully someday it’ll beryllium passed down to myself and my family."

Caleb Downs of nan Ohio State Buckeyes participates successful drills during nan 2026 Ohio State Pro Day astatine Woody Hayes Athletic Center successful Columbus, Ohio, connected March 25, 2026. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

As Caleb is eager to study wherever his NFL travel will begin, he besides gets to pat into his older brother, Josh, for proposal astir really to quickly acclimate.

"The biggest point he told maine was find your routine, find your habits," Caleb revealed. "Those are nan things that are going to make nan biggest difference. Those are nan things I’ll person to get going beautiful speedy nevertheless this week ends up."

And while it’s "exciting" for Caleb to watch his relative find success, he’s hoping to beryllium a nuisance to Josh whenever they statement up yet connected gameday successful nan NFL. Being connected other sides of nan shot tin make for a awesome brotherly battle, and Caleb wants immoderate redemption aft nan 1 clip they played against each different successful high school.

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"Oh, it’s decidedly been thought about," Caleb said erstwhile asked if he and Josh person talked astir that infinitesimal erstwhile they’ll meet successful nan league. "I’ve played against him 1 clip earlier successful precocious school. I’ll person to get my get-back because he hit america beautiful bad my freshman twelvemonth of precocious school. They hit our squad 42-3, truthful it wasn’t needfully a really bully game. But I made a mates plays, he made a mates plays. So, we’ll time off it astatine that."

Josh Downs of nan Indianapolis Colts warms up earlier an NFL crippled against nan San Francisco 49ers astatine Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indianapolis connected Dec. 22, 2025. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Caleb has had awesome men successful his family to look up to, and they’ll each beryllium down him connected this breathtaking leap to nan NFL, wherever he’ll beryllium judge to transportation nan advice, characteristic traits and much that he’s taken from each of them pinch him on nan way.

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Caleb’s business pinch USAA progressive a typical infinitesimal wherever he and his grandfather went to nan Disabled American Veterans section successful Columbus, Georgia to perceive from immoderate of those who served their state conscionable arsenic Downs Sr. did.

The acquisition was rather impactful for Caleb.

"Being capable to perceive those stories erstwhile I was astatine nan DAV pinch each nan veterans, being capable to study from nan contented they have, it was awesome," he explained. "I admit USAA for allowing maine to person this business pinch them. When they told maine they were nan charismatic "Salute to Service" [partner] of nan NFL, I was like, ‘Oh, for sure.’ And my grandpa was going to beryllium truthful excited to beryllium a portion of it.

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"Being capable to perceive astir their military background, and past effort to subordinate it to what I’m going done correct now, it was awesome to perceive nan contented and beryllium astir group who person done awesome things successful their life. I consciousness for illustration that’s thing that you can’t return for granted, conscionable being astir bully people."

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