Caleb Downs is one of the best defenders in college football. But don't just take our word for it.
Downs was named Tuesday as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award. The former is an accolade presented to the best defensive back in college football, while the latter is presented to the best overall defender in the sport.
After a standout freshman year at Alabama, Downs transferred to Ohio State and has continued to shine as a sophomore. This season, the 6-foot, 205-pound safety has collected 51 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three pass breakups for the Buckeyes. He's also contributed as a punt returner, recording the program's first punt return touchdown in 10 years with a 79-yard house call against Indiana this past weekend.
This view of Caleb Downs' punt return touchdown pic.twitter.com/KrfXlUd0HU
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Ryan Day often shares that Downs' success comes from his preparation off the field, as he's one of the Buckeyes who spends the most time in the film room, weight room and coaches’ offices.
“In the recruiting process, you could tell at a young age that he just really loved football,” Day said last week. “When you talked about football, he was listening – and you better know what you’re talking about when you’re around him. That’s the first thing you realize. He comes from a football family. His brother, his dad and his mom all know football.
“You also recognize his competitiveness. You saw it in high school. You see it now. He wants to always be involved in the games. It doesn’t matter what the score is. I mean, he’s bugging me about getting back in the game. Yeah, it doesn't matter what the score is. ‘Give me a shot. Give me one more series.’ That’s the way he’s built. It’s contagious. His energy, his passion for the game, I think it really carries over to the rest of the guys on the team. It’s infectious.”
Will Howard echoed Day's sentiments in the same press conference.
“That dude is a hell of a football player, man,” Howard said. “Just watching him every week, the way he comes downhill and hits dudes and fills holes is different. I’ve never seen a guy do that from the safety position. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him miss an open-field tackle – knock on wood – but the dude is special. He’s obviously good in pass coverage, too. He’s as smart as they come. He’s one of those guys that just knows ball. He just loves it. He’s all about it. … He’s a hell of a player.”
Downs is one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award along with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron and Georgia safety Malaki Starks and one of three finalists for the Bednarik Award along with Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, who’s also a finalist for the Biletnikoff and Maxwell awards.
The winners of the Jim Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award will be named in December during ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards show, which will be held at ESPN's Bristol, Connecticut, studios on Dec. 12. Downs was the only Buckeye selected as a finalist for the awards that will be presented during that show.
