Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is not nearly the player most often selected for the New York Giants in NFL mock drafts. That distinction belongs to Downs’ Buckeye teammate, wide receiver Carnell Tate. Downs, though, is continuing to pick up heavyweight support to be the Giants’ selection at No. 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Field Yates of ESPN on Tuesday joined Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Todd McShay of The Ringer in choosing Downs for the Giants in his newly-released mock draft.
Yates’ first four picks were:
- Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
- New York Jets — Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
- Arizona Cardinals — Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
- Tennessee Titans — David Bailey, edge, Texas Tech
Yates explained his selection of Downs this way:
This is my first curveball, as many early mock drafts have linked the Giants to a wide receiver or offensive tackle in this spot. Those are completely understandable, especially if Wan’Dale Robinson and/or Jermaine Eluemunor depart in free agency. But Downs has my attention as the first pick of the John Harbaugh era.
Perhaps no current coach better understands the value of top-flight safety play, as Harbaugh coached Ed Reed and Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore. While the Giants have starters in Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin, Downs has the upside to change an entire defense as a force multiplier with his deep range and in-the-box skills.
Valentine’s View
I keep saying this pick would not surprise me, and I would support it. We, of course, do not know how free agency will play out, and that may change things. Right now, one of the Giants’ clear needs is better playmaking in the secondary at both cornerback and safety. If it comes from safety, fine with me.
I keep saying, as Yates did, that Harbaugh’s experience with Reed and Hamilton has to factor into how he sees the importance of the safety position.
Downs’ scouting report
Pro Football and Sports Network has Downs as the No. 1 prospect in this year’s draft class. PFSN says:
Caleb Downs has received first-round premonitions from the general consensus ever since he set foot on Alabama’s campus as a five-star recruit. An instant producer at the CFB level, Downs was a star for the Crimson Tide defense in 2023, and then for Ohio State’s Championship-caliber unit in 2024 and 2025. Downs’ raw production underwhelms in comparison to his prestige, but don’t let that fool you: On film, he’s one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, and is a blue-chip player in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
A fluid, explosive, and energized mover at 6’0”, 205 pounds, Downs is special in the box with his combined mobility, play pace, angle IQ, and physicality on blocks. He’s an expert at running alleys, scraping through contact, and securing solo tackles, and his instant reaction-to-stimulus ensures he’s always responsive on plays. And while his raw production in coverage makes him easy to overlook in space, his coverage game is just as exhilarating.
Downs is an uber-instinctive cover man who can swiftly process route combinations, manage route relationships, transition with ease, and clamp down on stems from different alignments. He’s the consummate “glue guy”, with a cosmic football IQ and the versatility to play two-high, single-high, in the box as a rover, and even as a big-nickel in off-man and zone. Positional value will be discussed with Downs, but regardless, he has all the hallmarks of a future All-Pro who makes a defense better.
See More:
