If there’s one thing Howie Roseman does better than almost anyone, it’s staying ahead of the curve.
The Philadelphia Eagles general manager doesn’t just fill holes — he builds his team’s rosters with next year and the year after that in mind. Which is why it’s not crazy to imagine Caleb Downs—one of the most decorated defensive backs in recent college football memory—ending up in Philly.
Geoffrey A Knox of Eagles Wire thinks Downs could be an option for the Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft despite the team’s recent attention to the position in the draft.
“This may be the best safety in the country, one whose career could end with back-to-back College Football Playoff Championship Game wins,” Knox wrote on August 29. “Caleb Downs was a Unanimous All-American in 2024 and figures to receive the same honor in 2025. He would immediately challenge Andrew Mukuba and Sydney Brown for playing time.”
Downs Has Had Stellar Seasons in SEC, Big Ten
GettyCaleb Downs could be a first-round draft target for the Philadelphia Eagles in the future.
Downs led Alabama in tackles as a true freshman in 2023 with 107, snagged the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award and earned All-America honors to top it off. Some kids would stop there, cash in on NIL and enjoy the ride.
Downs decided to prove it again, transferring to Ohio State in 2024 and becoming the Big Ten’s Defensive Back of the Year after posting 81 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, also returning a 79-yard punt for a touchdown against Indiana. That’s back-to-back years as one of the best players on the field, in two different conferences, against two very different styles of offense.
“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.”
Why the Philadelphia Eagles Might Be Eyeing Safety Caleb Downs in the 2026 NFL Draft
Vic Fangio loves safeties who don’t just fill one lane. He wants players who can cover half the field one snap and run downhill like a linebacker the next. Downs has already done it all at the college level.
He’s a solid tackler, a ballhawk and can defend in the slot — all while providing a spark on special teams with his punt-return skills.
And here’s where the Eagles’ roster makes this really interesting: Reed Blankenship—who has gone from undrafted long shot to fan favorite—is set to hit free agency after the 2025 season. Brown, a 2023 third-round pick, has flashed but still hasn’t shown he can handle coverage responsibilities consistently.
Mukuba was added in 2025 as a high-upside Day 2 pick, but he’s more projection than proven commodity at this stage.
Roseman and company would very likely have to trade up if they want to get Downs, though. It’s always dangerous to make predictions this far ahead, but if Downs is on the board in 2026 and Philadelphia is interested, don’t be surprised if Roseman does just that.
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