4 months ago
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football’s Ryan Day answered a FaceTime telephone from Caleb Downs successful 2022. It came pinch bad news.
“I deliberation I’m going to spell location else,” Downs said.
Downs, past nan top-rated information successful nan 2023 recruiting class, was preparing to perpetrate to Alabama, giving nan Crimson Tide and erstwhile coach Nick Saban a monolithic triumph connected nan recruiting trail.
“Crushed,” Day said erstwhile explaining his emotion.
Downs stayed existent to his commitment, signing pinch Alabama successful December 2022. However, 13 months later, aft Saban retired, Downs entered nan transportation portal.
It led to different captious telephone to Day.
“Coach, I dislike to do this to you again,” Downs started.
“Oh my God, he’s doing it again,” Day thought.
“I’m conscionable messing pinch you,” Downs continued. “I’m coming to Ohio State.”
Day joked astir throwing his telephone against a wall aft proceeding nan news.
“I was happy,” Day said.
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Both calls show a communicative astir nan strength of recruiting and really earnestly coaches return their efforts successful landing nan nation’s champion players, but those conversations besides supply a glimpse into conscionable really precocious expectations were for Downs.
He exceeded them.
Downs announced Wednesday he is foregoing his elder play and declaring for nan 2026 NFL Draft. His departure from nan collegiate crippled marks nan extremity of a dressed up profession — 1 that’s important to retrieve successful due humanities context.
The NFL is getting 1 of nan champion safeties successful assemblage shot history.
Caleb Downs was a prima from nan start
Five-star prospects who don’t cookware retired quickly go nan poster kid for why recruiting rankings don’t matter. However, immoderate players beryllium to beryllium worthy nan billing.
Downs was instantly nan latter.
While playing for 1 of nan sport’s bluish bloods, Downs was a prima nan infinitesimal he arrived connected campus. He started each 14 games for Alabama arsenic a freshman, finishing pinch nan ninth-best protect people among each safeties pinch astatine slightest 500 snaps played successful 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.
He was named nan Southeastern Conference Freshman of nan Year, becoming nan first Alabama subordinate to triumph nan grant since receiver Jaylen Waddle successful 2018.
“This feline is 1 of nan astir complete group that I’ve ever had nan opportunity to coach,” Saban said of Downs successful 2024. “He’s a awesome person, a awesome student and he’s a phenomenal shot player, awesome competitory tone and has competitory IQ.
“How he responds connected nan field, he acts instinctively. I mean, it’s successful nan apical tier of each players of each time.”
Ohio State maximized Caleb Downs’ versatility
Downs entered nan portal pursuing Saban’s status successful January 2024, starring to 1 of nan astir impactful transfers successful Ohio State history.
He joined nan Buckeyes and became possibly nan astir versatile defender successful nan sport. Former Ohio State protect coordinator Jim Knowles utilized Downs successful aggregate ways, lining nan information up successful nan container connected astir 33% of snaps.
“He’s a coach’s dream,” Knowles said during preseason campy successful 2024. “He understands everything, he picks everything up, he takes nan gathering room to nan field.”
Downs was voted an unanimous All-American successful his first run pinch nan Buckeyes. He recorded 81 tackles and 2 interceptions while starring nan nation’s apical defense to a nationalist championship.
Knowles near Ohio State for Penn State aft nan 2024 season, starring to nan hiring of Matt Patricia successful Columbus. The longtime NFL coordinator quickly recognized Downs’ potential, which was evident successful Week 1 erstwhile OSU held preseason No. 1 Texas to 7 points.
“I thought their expertise to disguise coverages successful nan first half was astatine an elite level,” UT coach Steve Sarkisian said postgame. “I wouldn’t opportunity a bully level — an elite level. And I deliberation it starts pinch they’ve sewage Caleb Downs."
Downs had 68 tackles, 2 interceptions and a sack this play en way to being named assemblage football’s champion protect back. He capped his collegiate profession pinch a masterful capacity against Miami, albeit successful a season-ending loss.
Downs forced 2 fumbles against nan Hurricanes, mounting a single-game College Football Playoff record. While nan Buckeyes near nan Cotton Bowl disappointed, location was nary uncertainty astir nan effect made by Downs — who besides earned unanimous All-American honors this season, making him nan first protect subordinate successful OSU history to get nan nickname aggregate times.
“What Caleb Downs has done for Ohio State and does each time — astir of it you spot is connected nan field, but what I spot is disconnected nan field,” Day said aft nan CFP loss. “He’s a typical young man who has done a batch for this program.
“I’ll everlastingly beryllium successful indebtedness for what he’s done for america — not only his play, but what he stands for disconnected nan field, who he is, his family is tremendous. He played his tail disconnected tonight. Nobody hurts much than he does.”
Greatness is often discussed successful nan past tense pinch those who person statues erected and numbers retired starring nan conversation.
But sometimes an all-time awesome tin beryllium recognized successful existent time. Downs was that for Ohio State, and 2 telephone calls — 1 bad, 1 bully — proved it.
