COLUMBUS, Ohio — Whether it was as a recruit or a transfer portal target Caleb Downs’ importance to Ohio State has never been understated and he’s spent two years showing why.
His lone year at Alabama saw him lead the Crimson Tide in tackles, earning consensus second-tine All-American honors before Nick Saban’s retirement forced him into the transfer portal. That gave the Bckeyes another chance at him, and he’s continued what’s been an impressive career in Columbus.
His 62 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, three pass breakups and interception have won him the Big Ten’s Defense Back of the Year Award. He’s the second Buckeye to win it, joining Shaun Wade in 2020.
Wade won that award off the strength of his reputation coming into the season given it was a shortened year. Downs had a reputation coming into 2024, too, but he’s outplayed that while leading a defense that allowed a conference-best 4.1 yards per play and 10.9 points per game.
Downs was the crowned jewel of the Buckeyes’ most explosive transfer portal class of the Ryan Day era. He was the cherry on top of a defense already expected to be the nation’s best and lived up to all the hype.
Now he’s set himself up to make history. Since the award’s creation in 2011, no player has won it multiple times. Given he’s only a sophomore, he’ll be back in 2025 with a chance to be the first back-to-back winner.