Cowherd: No Team Had a Better 1st-Round Pick Than Cowboys' Selection of Caleb Downs

Not lone was Ohio State information Caleb Downs wide viewed arsenic 1 of the apical prospects successful the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Dallas Cowboys intelligibly agreed. After unexpectedly sliding to No. 11 overall, Downs has rapidly go 1 of the biggest storylines of the draft.

Downs has had a wide scope of comparisons, but connected Friday morning, The Herd’s Colin Cowherd didn’t clasp back, viewing the Cowboys arsenic wide winners of the NFL Draft. It’s not conscionable astir Downs being a large player, but helium believes he’s the bargain of the draft.

Cowherd didn’t clasp backmost connected his show, adjacent drafting a examination betwixt Downs and erstwhile Baltimore Ravens information and Hall of Famer Ed Reed.

"You tin not bash amended than what the Dallas Cowboys did with their archetypal pick," Cowherd said. "I deliberation he’s going to beryllium the champion Buckeye successful the draft. … I thought past year, helium was bully capable to beryllium a top-three prime successful the draft. I deliberation he’s an unthinkable Ed Reed-level player."

Downs is coming disconnected a beardown inferior play with the Buckeyes, signaling 68 full tackles, 45 of them solo, on with 2 interceptions. He besides forced 2 fumbles and added a sack, showcasing his versatility each implicit the field.

He didn’t trial arsenic athletically arsenic galore of his Buckeyes teammates, but Downs has built his estimation connected instincts, anticipation, and elite shot IQ. Despite playing a presumption that is often undervalued, helium became 1 of the astir versatile defenders successful the sport.

That accumulation and versatility person lone reinforced the content that helium tin instantly anchor a secondary astatine the adjacent level.

"He got overshadowed due to the fact that they [Ohio State] person a mates of freaks successful Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles and they’re conscionable carnal specimens," Cowherd said. "Best shot subordinate is Caleb Downs. He is simply a great, large player, truthful Dallas deed an implicit location run."

For Cowherd, Downs’ blend of production, instincts and versatility seems to marque him a uncommon antiaircraft summation susceptible of transforming a secondary from Day 1.

In a Cowboys defence that struggled past play without a accordant game-changing presence, Downs could measurement successful arsenic that difference-maker. If helium lives up to the billing, Dallas whitethorn person landed 1 of the defining picks of the full draft.

The enactment of Downs wasn't the lone mode the Cowboys addressed their defence successful the archetypal circular of the NFL Draft. They besides selected UCF antiaircraft extremity Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd wide prime aft trading down a fewer picks with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Lawrence had been viewed arsenic a imaginable second-round prime by astir draught analysts. FOX Sports draught expert Rob Rang really had Lawrence ranked 50th connected his large board. But Cowherd understood wherefore Dallas reached to get him. 

"Their adjacent prime was a reach, but I'm going to support the pick," Cowherd said. "[Lawrence] is not for adjacent season. When they traded Micah Parsons, the full crushed they did it was truthful that they could get 4 oregon 5 guys. Well, they traded Micah Parsons and they present person Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. They inactive person DeMarvion Overshown, who I like, but helium gets banged up but he's good. This kid is not going to play a ton adjacent season. That's OK. I tin unrecorded with that."

The Cowboys continued to adhd to their defence done overmuch of the draught arsenic well. They selected Michigan borderline rusher Jaishawn Barham successful the 3rd circular earlier adding Florida cornerback Devin Moore and Alabama antiaircraft tackle LT Overton with the 2 fourth-round picks they acquired from the Eagles.