Caleb Downs Scouting Report

Caleb Downs is a versatile ballhawk who makes plays all over the field and is capable of making impact plays.

Draft Grade: Round 1 - Pro Bowl Caliber

Strengths:

Versatility: Downs is a defensive back who can play on all three levels of the defense and make an impact.

Playmaker: Downs has a natural ability to find his way to the football and make a timely play via interception, force fumbles, or clutch tackles.

High IQ/Football Intelligence: Downs has great pre-snap identification that leads to elite post-snap processing and puts him in position to make plays all over the field.

Physicality/Tackling: Downs has proved to be an effective and efficient tackler. He is also capable of making big-time hits on ball carriers that set the tempo.

Leadership: Downs is a high-motor, vocal leader who plays hard every down and sets a physical tone for the entire team.

Concerns:

Ball Production: While Downs is a great defender against the run, his ball production, as far as interceptions, is minimal. That could be attributed to a number of factors, but it should be something of note when it comes to projecting what position or alignment is best for Downs to play in the NFL.

Man-to-Man Coverage: Throughout his collegiate career, Downs appears to play primarily in zone drops. This brings the question of how good he is playing in man-to-man situations.