Nick Saban Names Best Player in 2026 NFL Draft

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is excited to see where one of his former players will land in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Ohio State safety Caleb Downs started his career with the Crimson Tide in 2023. When Saban retired, Downs transferred to pay for the Buckeyes.

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, Saban said Downs would have been the No. 1 safety taken in the 2024 NFL Draft had he been eligible. He thinks Downs has made more plays than any other player in this year’s draft.

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“Caleb Downs has made more plays in college than anybody in the draft,” Saban said. “All right, so he makes that many plays in the NFL. I mean, what’s, what’s, what’s the capability gap? I mean, better can he get?”

Downs is expected to be taken in the top 10 on Thursday.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggested that multiple league teams think Downs could be the best player in the draft. However, where he falls is unclear because the safety position isn’t valued as highly as other positions typically taken in the top 10.

Saban thinks Downs' instincts separate him from other players. He called Downs a “football junkie” and a physical player. Saban thinks Downs can play anywhere on the field in the secondary.

“Everybody questions whether they can play in a deep part of the field,” Saban said of Downs. “He can play in a deep part of the field, but when he’s in a deep part of the field and he comes downhill, he’s going to bust your ass. Yeah, he thumps.

“He’s a thumper now. And the only negative I would say to him, and I talked to him on the phone the other day, and it was the same thing when he played for us. He tries to butt him to the ground. He hits him so hard, I said, ‘How about trying to wrap him up?'”

The total value of a four-year rookie contract for the No. 10 pick in 2026 is $29,611,072. The No. 5 pick sits at $45,613,238. Anywhere in between (or above No. 5) would be pricey for a team to pay an unproven safety.

Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward is the league’s 20th highest-paid safety, making $10.5 million per year, per Spotrac. Downs could be looking at a salary close to that if he’s taken before No. 10.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 4:45 PM.