Cowboys traded up with the Dolphins to select S Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.

24 April 2026

Downs will join one of the NFL’s worst coverage units in Dallas. The Cowboys in 2025 allowed the league’s third highest drop back EPA and the second highest drop back success rate, regularly getting carved up by opposing quarterbacks. Caleb Downs (6’0/206) enters the 2026 NFL Draft cycle with one of the most bankable defensive résumés in the class, pairing elite coverage metrics with high-level run support and professional tackling technique. He allowed just 9 completions on 20 targets (45.0%) for 72 yards with 0 TDs allowed, 2 INT, and a staggering 7.0 passer rating allowed, making him one of the most efficient safeties in college football. His versatility is reflected in his 365 coverage snaps, where he aligned deep, rotated into the slot, and triggered downhill against the run, posting 6 run stops, 11 havoc plays and an 83.7 run defense grade. Downs’ diagnostic skills show up in the tape and the data (89.6 cover grade) as he consistently undercuts intermediate routes and rarely bites on play-action, allowing only 0.22 yards per coverage snap. Physically, he’s not a height/length outlier, but his short-area burst, clean feet, and immediate trigger allow him to win both in space and in traffic. Downs’ value comes from certainty, he’s a plug-and-play NFL starter with Pro Bowl floor traits and one of the safest defensive evaluations this class has to offer.