If the Washington Commanders want to regenerate their roster effectively this offseason, general manager Adam Peters must knock his first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft out of the park. And one potential target aced his final audition, putting him firmly on the NFC East club's radar.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was nothing short of phenomenal against the Miami Hurricanes. The Buckeyes fell short in their college football national championship defense, but the gifted defensive back couldn't have done much more to turn the tide.
Downs was credited with eight tackles and two forced fumbles. He was seemingly everywhere on the field, making plays consistently and putting his elite-level athletic traits on full display. If he wasn't on the Commanders' shortlist before, he will be now.
Drafting Caleb Downs could change everything for the Commanders' defense
Washington is guaranteed to have a top-seven selection. Positional value may cause him to fall slightly, but one could make a strong case for Downs being the best overall prospect in this class. That works in the Commanders' favor, which Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports pinpointed in his latest mock draft.
"[Caleb] Downs could be a Troy Polamalu-level talent in the NFL. He's only 5-foot-11, and he may not end up running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash, but I don't care. Not even a little bit. Both Kyle Hamilton and Brian Branch Jr. slipped on draft day because of mediocre 40 times. They're two of the best young defensive backs in football. Downs is a run-game enforcer and has the sideline-to-sideline juice, coupled with the short-area burst, to excel in pass coverage."Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports
The Commanders have a severe need for reinforcements in defense. This bears special significance on the back end. Quan Martin's breakout has fallen way short. Will Harris got hurt and has struggled since. There is also enough evidence to suggest that Jeremy Reaves, Tyler Owens, and Percy Butler look more suited to special-teams duties.
Acquiring Downs would change everything. He's a genuine tone-setter in every phase. His explosiveness, controlled aggression, and versatility are guaranteed to make him one of the draft's most coveted prospects. The Commanders have other needs, but adding someone of this caliber might be a difficult proposition for Peters to turn down if he gets the chance.
Downs' stock is only going to soar more during the pre-draft evaluation process. He's expected to test fairly well at the NFL Scouting Combine, and his mentality will go down exceptionally well during interviews. There are very few sure things in the draft, but he looks as close as it gets.
And his dominant effort in defeat will not go unnoticed.