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Not only was Ohio State safety Caleb Downs widely viewed as one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Dallas Cowboys clearly agreed. After unexpectedly slipping to No. 11 overall, Downs has quickly become one of the biggest storylines in the draft.
Downs has had a lot of comparisons, but on Friday morning The Herd’s Colin Cowherd didn’t hold back when he saw the Cowboys as clear winners of the NFL Draft. It’s not just that Downs is a great player, but he believes he’s the steal of the draft.
Cowherd didn’t hold back with his show, even drawing a comparison between Downs and former Baltimore Ravens safety and Hall of Famer Ed Reed.
“You can’t do better than what the Dallas Cowboys did with their first pick,” Cowherd said. “I think he’s going to be the best Buckeye in the draft. … I thought last year he was good enough to be a top-three pick in the draft. I think he’s an incredible Ed Reed player.”
Downs is coming off a strong junior season with the Buckeyes, recording 68 total tackles, 45 of them solo, along with two interceptions. He also forced two fumbles and added a sack, showing his versatility all over the field.
He didn’t test as athletically as many of his Buckeyes teammates, but Downs has built his reputation on instincts, anticipation and elite football IQ. Despite playing a position that is often underrated, he became one of the most versatile defenders in the sport.
That production and versatility has only reinforced the belief that he can immediately anchor a secondary at the next level.
“He was overshadowed because they [Ohio State] has a couple of freaks in Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles and they’re just physical specimens,” Cowherd said. “The best football player is Caleb Downs. He’s a great, great player, so Dallas hit an absolute home run.”
For Cowherd, Downs’ mix of production, instincts and versatility looks to make him a rare defensive addition capable of transforming a secondary from Day 1.
In a Cowboys defense that struggled last season without a consistent game-changing presence, Downs could step in as that difference. If he lives up to the billing, Dallas may have landed one of the defining picks of the entire draft.
The selection of Downs wasn’t the only way the Cowboys addressed their defense in the first round of the NFL Draft. They also selected UCF defensive end Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd overall pick after trading down a pair of picks with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Lawrence had been considered a potential second pick by most draft analysts. FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang actually had Lawrence 50th on his big board. But Cowherd understood why Dallas reached out to him.
“Their next pick was a reach, but I will defend the pick,” Cowherd said. “[Lawrence] is not for next season. When they traded Micah Parsons, the whole reason they did it was so they could get four or five guys. Well, they traded Micah Parsons and they now have Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. They still have DeMarvion Overshown who I like but he gets beat up but he’s good. This kid is not going to play a ton next season. It’s okay. I can live with that.”
The Cowboys also continued to add to their defense throughout much of the draft. They selected Michigan edge rusher Jaishawn Barham in the third round before adding Florida cornerback Devin Moore and Alabama defensive tackle LT Overton with the two fourth-round picks they acquired from the Eagles.
