Never miss a CFP - Natty Road 🏈 update!
PITTSBURGH — Caleb Downs skipped on-field testing at the NFL Combine and still makes a case as the best player in the Draft.
Every scout knows what the game film says. The only debate is about positional value, not player value.
A flagged knee issue in Indianapolis raised some eyebrows. But it hasn’t moved him off top-10 boards, and it shouldn’t.
Downs processes like a QB in a secondary, playing Strong Safety, Nickel, and sub-packages at an elite level across three seasons at two of the best programs in college football.
Here’s the latest on his Draft stock:
By the numbers
Stock: Blue-chip top-10 lock; positional value is the only credible reason any board has him outside the top 5.
Combine: Opted out of on-field testing. A flagged knee issue was noted in Indianapolis but has not derailed his standing. His intelligence, instincts, and range play at every level of a defense.
Fits: Giants (need a defensive quarterback in the secondary; multiple mocks project him here in the top 5), Bengals (defense needs a floor raiser; allows young DBs to develop behind him), Commanders (Dan Quinn values versatile secondary players with communication skills).
Best case: Top 5.
Most likely: 5 to 10, with positional value the only ceiling pressure.
2026 NFL Draft
Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park, Pittsburgh
TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network; Streaming: NFL+ NFL Draft Buzz
4-23-26: Round 1, 8pm ET | 6pm CT | 5pm PT
4-24-26: Rounds 2-3, 7pm ET | 5pm CT | 4pm PT
4-25-26: Rounds 4-7, start time TBD
The bottom line
He makes every defender around him better. There are not many prospects who do that. The team that gets him in the top 10 will understand it by November.
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