How Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese and the rest of Ohio State’s defense graded vs. Miami in the Cotton Bowl

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Caleb Downs much than did his portion successful what is astir apt his last crippled arsenic an Ohio State football player.

He mightiness not person walked distant arsenic a back-to-back nationalist titles acknowledgment to a 24-14 nonaccomplishment to Miami, but he’s acold from why that nonaccomplishment happened. In fact, he would’ve been among nan apical reasons why nan Buckeyes would’ve won.

Downs recorded 8 tackles while forcing 2 fumbles successful nan triumph connected his measurement to an 80.5 Pro Football Focus grade. That led each OSU protect players and was 2nd connected nan roster period.

• How Julian Sayin, nan violative statement and nan remainder of Ohio State’s discourtesy graded vs. Miami successful nan Cotton Bowl
• Inside an emotional, quiet extremity to a once-promising Ohio State shot season
• Evaluating Ohio State football’s nonaccomplishment to Miami successful nan 2025 Cotton Bowl: Buckeye Talk podcast
• Ohio State shot is losing a tight extremity to nan transportation portal

Here’s really nan remainder of nan defense graded out:

(PFF grades each subordinate connected each play and uses a standard of 0-100, pinch higher grades indicating amended play. PFF has explained its grades this way: 100-90 elite; 89-85 Pro Bowler; 84-70 starter; 69-60 backup; 59-0 replaceable. In different words, it’s akin to really we would lucifer up percentages pinch accepted missive grades successful school.)

NOTE: Snap counts successful parentheses.

DEFENSIVE END

Zion Grady: 77.1 (3)

Caden Curry: 65.4 (60)

Kenyatta Jackson: 64.5 (63)

Beau Atkinson: 59.3 (5)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Will Smith Jr.: 68.4 (8)

Kayden McDonald: 68.4 (55)

Jason Moore: 61.2 (1)

Eddrick Houston: 54.2 (50)

Tywone Malone: 51.8 (12)

LINEBACKER

Payton Pierce: 78.0 (10)

Arvell Reese: 70.1 (63)

Sonny Styles: 69.3 (63)

CORNERBACK

Davison Igbinosun: 75.3 (62)

Devin Sanchez: 58.2 (43)

Jermaine Mathews: 55.5 (61)

SAFETY

Caleb Downs: 80.5 (63)

Leroy Roker: 766.4 (4)

Jaylen McClain: 69.3 (63)

Lorenzo Styles Jr.: 47.3 (8)

Stephen Means covers Ohio State shot for Cleveland.com while besides serving arsenic nan big of nan Buckeye Talk podcast. Prior to covering nan Buckeyes, he sewage acquisition moving astatine nan Akron Beacon Journal...