Alabama transfer safety Caleb Downs commits to Ohio State

Alabama safety Caleb Downs entered the transfer portal Wednesday following the aftermath of head coach Nick Saban‘s retirement, but has now chosen his next destination, deciding to take his talents to Columbus committing to play at Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

The highly touted high school recruit had a breakout true freshman season for the Crimson Tide in 2023 named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, the SEC Freshman of the Year, and the SEC Newcomer of the Year. Downs also earned first team All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC honors and was named a first team All-American by Pro Football Focus.

Downs became the first Alabama freshman to lead the team in tackles in program history with 107, also adding 3.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two interceptions, and a forced fumble to his stat line.

Downs played high school football at Mill Creek in Hoschton (GA), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

Track transfer portal activity

As of January 16th, 2,314 FBS players have entered the Transfer Portal.

While the NCAA Transfer Portal database is private, the On3 Network has streamlined the reporting process tracking player movement. If you find yourself asking, ‘How can I track transfer portal activity?’ our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways, from articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, to our social media channels, to the On3 Transfer Portal.

The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking and original On3 Industry recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image and likeness).

The On3 Transfer Portal Rankings allow for you to filter the On3 Industry Rankings to find the best of the best in the portal, starting with Overall Top Players.

You can dive deeper into the rankings and filter by position whether it is Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Interior Offensive Line, Edge, Defensive Line, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, Athlete, Kicker, Punter, or Long Snapper you’re looking for.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.