Assessing how Caleb Downs changes Ohio State's defense

Nick Saban‘s retirement caused an All-American who just wrapped up his freshman season to enter the NCAA transfer portal. In fact, he holds the No. 1 spot in the On3 Industry transfer portal rankings, with Ohio State taking advantage. Caleb Downs will be heading to Columbus, with Ryan Day making a statement.

Outside of being a fantastic player, Downs does a lot for the Ohio State defense in 2024. One of those is give Sonny Styles a more natural position, sliding him down to linebacker. Jim Knowles had deployed the former five-star prospect at safety, needing his athleticism on the field. But with Downs now on the roster, you have the best safety in the country out there on every down.

“Bringing Caleb Downs in frees up that spot where you can slide Sonny down,” Carpenter said during Monday’s episode of Andy Staples On3. “Now, you’re not feeling like you’re maybe chasing it a little bit on the backend. And by the way, you’re getting a holy, terrific player in itself. Who is going to pair with Lathan Ramson. Really smart, veteran of the defense, understands everything, great tackler…

“You move Sonny up, that’s going to give you that athletic prowess at linebacker. When you move down a position, you become the best athlete there. It’s really a great situation if you can handle the weight.”

The official Ohio State roster lists Styles at 6-4, 230 pounds. Back in high school, he was listed closer to 200 pounds. Two seasons in the weight room and his nutrition being run by the Buckeyes have filled out his frame.

Even so, Ohio State was putting him in the backend of the secondary, needing his weight to stay lower so he could still have the speed necessary to play safety. If Knowles now decides to slot Styles at linebacker, the transition — from a weight perspective — could be seamless.

“Sonny has a frame and body that’s very similar to mine,” Carpenter said. “He’s just going to gain weight. He’s probably a guy that’s 240 to 245 pounds just by normal eating and lifting for him.”

Downs is going to receive a lot of attention and rightfully so. At times, he looked like the best player on the field as a freshman while Alabama marched toward a College Football Playoff birth. Those types are never found in the transfer portal.

But Carpenter is hoping the addition unlocks the full potential of Styles. Just another element to make the Buckeyes better heading into a critical 2024 season for Day.