Caleb Downs

Last updated

Caleb Downs
Caleb Downs 2024.jpg
Downs with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2024
Ohio State BuckeyesNo. 2
Position Safety
ClassSophomore
Personal information
Born: Hoschton, Georgia, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career history
College
High school Mill Creek (Hoschton)
Career highlights and awards

Caleb Downs is an American football safety for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He previously played for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he was named the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year.

Contents

Early life

Downs attended Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia. [1] Downs was the named the All-American Bowl Player of the Year as a senior. [2] He was ranked as one of the top players in the 2023 college football recruiting class and considered the nation's No. 1 safety prospect. [3] He was ranked No. 9 nationally by Rivals.com, [4] No. 11 by ESPN [5] and No. 8 by 247Sports. [6] In July 2023, he was named Defensive Football Player of the Year by USA Today. [7]

College career

Downs committed to Alabama on July 27, 2022. [8] He chose Alabama over Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State. [9] In his debut, he led the team in tackles with eight. [10] At the conclusion of his freshman season Downs was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. [11] [12] Following the retirement of Nick Saban, he transferred to Ohio State. [13] In Ohio State's 38–15 win over No. 5 Indiana, Downs returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown. [14]

Personal life

Downs' father, Gary, played college football for NC State and is now an assistant coach. His uncle, Dré Bly, played for the North Carolina Tar Heels and 11 years in the NFL. His brother Josh also played with the Tar Heels, and is now with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2014 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It marked the Crimson Tide's 120th overall season, 81st as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and its 23rd within the SEC Western Division. The team was led by head coach Nick Saban, in his eighth year, and played its home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Sugar Bowl</span> College football game

The 2015 Sugar Bowl was a college football game that was played on January 1, 2015 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was the 81st Sugar Bowl, and a semifinal game in the College Football Playoff. It was one of the 2014–15 bowl games that concluded the 2014 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Allstate insurance company, the game was officially known as the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minkah Fitzpatrick</span> American football player (born 1996)

Minkah Annane Fitzpatrick Jr. is an American professional football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft before being traded to the Steelers during the 2019 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Najee Harris</span> American football player (born 1998)

Najee Jerome Harris is an American professional football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama during the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marked the Crimson Tide's 123rd overall season, its 84th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and its 26th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and were led by eleventh-year head coach Nick Saban.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Jeudy</span> American football player (born 1999)

Jerry Davarus Jeudy is an American professional football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he was awarded the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the season's outstanding college football receiver as a sophomore in 2018, and was drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 15th overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 College Football Playoff National Championship</span> College football national championship game

The 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game played on January 11, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The seventh College Football Playoff National Championship, the game determined the national champion in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2020 season. The game started at 8:15 p.m. EST and was televised by ESPN. It was the final game of the 2020–21 College Football Playoff and, aside from the all-star games scheduled to follow, was the culminating game of the 2020–21 bowl season. Sponsored by telecommunications company AT&T, the game was officially known as the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Crimson Tide's 125th overall season, 86th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 28th within the SEC's Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and were led by 13th-year head coach Nick Saban.

Jaylen Waddle is an American professional football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected sixth overall by the Dolphins in the 2021 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Crimson Tide's 126th overall season, 87th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 29th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and were led by 14th-year head coach Nick Saban.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Anderson Jr.</span> American football player (born 2001)

William Anderson Jr. is an American professional football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he won several awards, such as the Bronko Nagurski Trophy twice, and was a part of Alabama's national championship in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jameson Williams</span> American football player (born 2001)

Jameson Demetri Williams, nicknamed "Jamo", is an American professional football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama in 2021, where he was named an All-American. Williams was selected by the Lions in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brock Bowers</span> American football player (born 2002)

Brock Allen Bowers is an American professional football tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was a two-time national champion and John Mackey Award winner and holds the school record for single-season receiving touchdowns with 13. A three-time All-American, Bowers is the most decorated tight end in college football history and was selected by the Raiders in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2022 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Crimson Tide's 128th overall season, 89th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 31st within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They were led by their head coach Nick Saban in his 16th season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season marked the Crimson Tide's 129th overall season, 90th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 32nd and final season within the SEC Western Division, with Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC on July 1, 2024. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and were led by Nick Saban in his 17th and final season as head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Branch</span> American football player (born 2001)

Brian Amani Branch is an American professional football safety for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama.

Desmond "Dezz" Ricks is an American football defensive back for the Texas A&M Aggies. He previously played for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Texas Longhorns football team</span> American college football season

The 2023 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns played their home games at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. The Texas Longhorns football team drew an average home attendance of 101,625 in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Sayin</span> American football player

Julian Sayin is an American football quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He is a former five-star recruit who began his career as an early enrollee for the Alabama Crimson Tide before transferring to Ohio State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team</span> American college football season

The 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represents the University of Alabama during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season will be the Crimson Tide's 130th overall season, and 91st as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Crimson Tide plays their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the first year under new coach Kalen DeBoer.

References

  1. Austin, Brooks (July 27, 2022). "Caleb Downs Commits to Alabama Football". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  2. "Alabama 5-Star DB signee Caleb Downs named All-American Bowl National Player of the Year". Touchdown Alabama Magazine. January 7, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  3. Smith, Justin (December 21, 2022). "No. 1 safety Caleb Downs signs with Alabama football". Touchdown Alabama Magazine. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  4. "Caleb Downs, 2023 Safety, Alabama". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  5. "Caleb Downs - Football Recruiting - Player Profiles". ESPN . Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  6. "Caleb Downs, Alabama, Safety". 247sports.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  7. "2023 USA TODAY High School Sports Awards". USA Today Sports. July 30, 2023 via YouTube.
  8. Fawcett, Hayes (July 27, 2022). "5-star safety Caleb Downs commits to Alabama". On3.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  9. "Caleb Downs". Alabama Crimson Tide .
  10. Stahl, Matt (September 4, 2023). "Caleb Downs impresses in Alabama football debut. Can he keep it up against Texas?". AL.com .
  11. Nakos, Pete (January 17, 2024). "Alabama safety, SEC Freshman of the Year Caleb Downs makes decision on NCAA Transfer Portal". On3. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  12. "2023 SEC All-Freshman Football Team Announced". www.secsports.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  13. "Source: Ex-Tide star safety Downs picks Ohio St". ESPN.com. January 20, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  14. Curtright, Austin (November 23, 2024). "Watch: Caleb Downs returns punt 79 yards for OSU touchdown to open second half vs Indiana". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 13, 2024.