Ohio State making in-home visit with Alabama DB Caleb Downs

Nakos updated headshotby:Pete Nakos•01/18/24•

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Where Could Alabama Safety Caleb Downs Transfer To?

Ohio State is traveling down to Georgia on Thursday to make an in-home visit with Alabama transfer defensive back Caleb Downs, sources tell On3.

The top-ranked player in the transfer portal, according to On3, the former Five-Star Plus+ recruit entered college football’s free agency officially on Wednesday night. The Buckeyes and Georgia went down to the wire with Alabama to land Downs during his high school recruitment. Now they are the top two programs to watch to land the most coveted athlete available in the portal.

The SEC Freshman of the Year and second-team All-American became the first Alabama freshman to lead his team in tackles in program history dating back to at least 1970. Former Alabama cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson is now the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in Athens. Georgia is thought to have the upper hand in his recruitment at the moment.

A Power 4 player personnel director said he was the unquestioned top player to enter the transfer portal to date. That includes a cycle that included Texas A&M transfers Walter Nolen and Evan Stewart.

Downs closed out his true freshman season with 107 total tackles, which ranked fourth in the SEC. He also tallied 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, he landed on first-team All-SEC as a true freshman.

Already thought to be a top prospect for the 2026 NFL draft, Downs is the younger brother of Josh Downs, the North Carolina product drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts.

“I think what impresses me most about Caleb Downs is his maturity,” former Alabama head coach Nick Saban said in December. “He’s a very instinctive football player, but this guy, there’s no arrogance about him, being one of the best players in the country at his position. He’s very focused, he’s very coachable. He wants to know everything that you can ever tell him about how he can play his position better. He takes coaching well when you talk to him about what he did or didn’t do.”