Clarity emerges on Dallas Cowboys’ top draft target following worrying rumors, but it’s still a long shot pick
Ohio State’s Caleb Downs found himself in the middle of health rumors after the combine. Those have been cleared up.
Dallas Cowboys fans know how badly their favorite team needs a safety.
Thus, daydreaming about the Cowboys potentially drafting safety Caleb Downs out of Ohio State is common across the fanbase. But those daydreams got scary for a second when rumors emerged on Downs’ health.
The good news? They have been cleared up now. The bad news? Downs may not be there when it’s the Cowboys’ turn to make their pick at No. 12 overall.
Downs’ health status cleared up
On Sunday, a report from Daft on Draft’s Cory Kinnan surfaced indicating Downs was flagged at the NFL Scouting Combine with a partially torn meniscus and a “potentially degenerative ACL.”
Naturally, the report caused concerns but since then, our own Brandon Little did some research for A to Z Sports and found out important insight on Downs’ situation. Below are some key takeaways.
- The Downs family is calling the reports “fake” and “clickbait.”
- An NFL scout said the reports were a lie, and added “all his medicals came back relatively clean.”
- Two other teams said Downs’ medicals weren’t a concern.
“I also spoke with an orthopedic surgeon to better understand the idea of a degenerative ACL—something I wasn’t familiar with,” Little writes. “I was told it is extremely rare, especially for someone in Downs’ age group. It typically appears in individuals in their 40s or 50s and is often linked to repetitive trauma or tissue-related conditions. The condition can lead to weakening of the ligaments.”
On national TV, Pat McAfee also cited multiple NFL teams saying they weren’t concerned about Downs at all.
So if you’re worried about the Cowboys potentially picking Downs if available, don’t. He remains one of the best players and athletes in this year’s class and would be the perfect chess piece for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
The Cowboys also held a formal interview with Downs at the combine.
However, don’t get too excited about their chances of landing him.
Downs is unlikely to be there at No. 12
Downs is currently ranked as the No. 7 prospect in A to Z Sports’ internal draft database. According to Grinding the Mocks, a website that consistently scrapes every relevant mock draft to predict each player’s draft position, has Downs at No. 7 as of this writing.
After a strong Combine and the rise of nickel defenders around the league, chances are Downs won’t be overlooked just for being a safety. He’s one of the best players in the class, period.
If Downs is there, however, I’d be surprised if the Cowboys don’t pick him without any hesitation.