Todd McShay Says Caleb Downs is High on NFL Draft Big Boards, 'Don't Get Twisted by the Media'

The Ringer NFL draft expert Todd McShay declared this week that NFL teams are higher on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs in the 2026 NFL draft than members of the media.

Speaking during Monday's episode of the McShay Show (beginning at the 23:46 mark), McShay said, "Teams are higher on Downs, by the way. Don't get twisted by the media. Teams think you got a tough decision to make. They're not saying he's going 5 to the Giants, but like, you absolutely do need to consider him at 5."

The 21-year-old Downs enjoyed three highly productive seasons at the collegiate level, starting off at Alabama before making the move to Ohio State.

As a freshman at Bama, Downs recorded 107 tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended, and he maintained that level of production after transferring to OSU.

Downs was named a unanimous All-American in each of his two seasons with the Buckeyes, registering 82 tackles, two interceptions and six passes defended in 2024, and 68 tackles, two picks and two passes defended last season.

Caleb Downs Highlights

00:53

As a result, Downs was named the 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and he also won the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college football. Additionally, Downs finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Downs appears to be far and away the top safety in the 2026 NFL draft class with the only question being how high he can potentially go.

In the BR NFL Scouting Department's latest mock draft, Downs went fifth overall to the New York Giants, which is a possibility McShay alluded to.

If that happens, the G-Men would be getting the best overall player in the draft in the eyes of the BR NFL Scouting Department, as he is ranked No. 1 on the latest big board.

It is exceedingly rare for a safety to be a top-five draft pick with the most recent example being the Kansas City Chiefs taking Eric Berry fifth overall in 2010.

Downs has the talent and versatility to perhaps make it worthwhile, though, and McShay's comments suggest Downs going in the top five is very much on the table.