Ohio State Star Caleb Downs Gets Another Shining Prediction in NFL Draft

Ohio State standout Caleb Downs is projected to go early in the 2026 NFL draft, so it’s an exciting time to follow his journey.

Actually, a whopping four Ohio State players are projected to go within the top 10 draft picks, according to the latest mock from Nate Tice and Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports.

For Downs, the two see him going as the No. 9 pick to the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the winningest franchises in the past few years in the NFL.

“Downs is arguably the best player in this year’s draft class, so getting him with the ninth pick to bolster a secondary that lost some talent would be a smart play,” they say of the safety. “He’s the exact kind of talent that would thrive in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense as playmaker wherever he’s asked to play.”

They add that he should be able to “instantly be one of the best safeties in the league, a necessary weapon for a weaker Chiefs secondary to have as they retool.” That’s quite the compliment, and frankly, Downs is worthy of the kind words.

So, what’s the fate of the other Ohio State players? They have the Cleveland Browns taking wide receiver Carnell Tate, the Tennessee Titans snagging linebacker Sonny Styles and the New York Jets taking edge/linebacker Arvell Reese.

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For Downs, he really does make for a perfect fit with the Kansas City Chiefs. The team needs safety depth following Bryan Cook’s departure in free agency, and even though they signed Alohi Gilman and have other safeties, they could use another potential starter. There’s a reason he’s a five-star recruit and top 15 overall prospect nationally.

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That’s where Downs comes in. Sure, he’s a rookie, but he’s been key to Ohio State’s success, and he appears to be one of the players in the draft who could become a starter right away. Making the leap from college football to the NFL isn’t easy, and it takes time and training, but Downs should be able to start right where he left off.

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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 2:35 PM.