Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was spotted at the Texas vs. Ohio State matchup on August 30, and there’s very likely one player he was watching closer than the others: Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs.
If you’re a college football junkie, you know the kid already. If not, you likely will soon, because Downs is poised to take the NFL by storm when he arrives.
“This may be the best safety in the country, one whose career could end with back-to-back College Football Playoff Championship Game wins. Caleb Downs was a Unanimous All-American in 2024 and figures to receive the same honor in 2025,” USA Today’s Geoffrey A Knox wrote on August 30.
“There’s some Earl Thomas and Eric Berry to him. Just a special, special player,” one GM in attendance told NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Let’s break down his game further, along with why the Bears might be eyeing him.
Downs Is Surefire 1st Round Pick
Downs has done nothing but impress in both the SEC and Big Ten. At Alabama in 2023, he led the team in tackles as a true freshman with 107 (four for loss), also hauling in two interceptions.
He shocked the SEC by transferring to Ohio State following his freshman year, where he proved he wasn’t just a one-year wonder. In 2024, he racked up 81 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and he even housed a 79-yard punt return touchdown against Indiana.
ESPN’s resident draft expert Mel Kiper has Downs projected to be the highest-drafted safety since 2010. “We’ve seen some great safeties get picked in the top 20 in recent years, despite it not being considered a premium draft position,” Kiper wrote on August 29.
“Kyle Hamilton went 14th in 2022. Minkah Fitzpatrickwent 11th in 2018, six spots ahead of Derwin James Jr. We even saw Jamal Adams go No. 6 in 2017. But Downs will best them all and be the highest-picked safety since Eric Berry went No. 5 in 2010. Per ESPN Research, Berry is one of six safeties taken in the top five in the common draft era (Kenny Easley, Bennie Blades, Rickey Dixon, Eric Turner and Sean Taylor), so Downs would be joining a select group. He’s that good.”
Chicago Bears Would Likely Have to Trade Up in Order to Draft Safety Caleb Downs
GettyCaleb Downs could be a first-round draft target for the Chicago Bears and Ryan Poles in the future.
Reports out of Columbus last spring had Poles on the ground at Ohio State’s Pro Day, watching Downs and others up close. Thus, the Bears GM seems to have had his eye on Downs for a while now.
It’s easy to see why. For starters, Chicago’s safety room is about to get expensive—or just plain empty. Kevin Byard signed a short-term deal that runs through 2025, and Jaquan Brisker’s rookie contract is up after this year.
Sure, extensions are possible, but if both guys are gone, or even if just one walks, you’re staring at a huge hole in the middle of the secondary.
The Bears’ new defensive brain trust also plays into Downs’ skill set. Dennis Allen took over as defensive coordinator and has long been known for his disguises, pressure looks and a heavy dose of split-safety shells. He wants safeties who can be Swiss army knives—and that’s Downs.
Look, a lot can happen between now and the 2026 draft, and unless the Bears are as bad or worse than they were a year ago when they finished with a 5-12 mark, they’ll need to trade up in order to snag Downs. Still, the fit and need at safety make the Buckeyes safety a top player to watch for the Bears in 2026.
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