Oregon offers No. 1-rated 2023 safety Caleb Downs

The 2023 cycle’s No. 1 safety, Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek five-star safety Caleb Downs, picked up an offer Thursday from Oregon.

Blessed and honored to receive an offer from the University of Oregon @oregonfootball #goducks @CoachDanLanning @CoachLup pic.twitter.com/SICjYEWQLt

— Caleb Downs (@caleb_downs2) January 20, 2022

Downs is the No. 9 player in the country, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

“The 5-foot-11.5, 185-pound Downs is a tough, instinctive safety that displays high-end playmaking ability. He’s not only a ball hawk in coverage but will close quickly and strike in the run game. He possesses very good eyes and awareness,” On3 National Analyst Gerry Hamilton said.

Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Lebbeus Overton is the lone player from Georgia ranked ahead of Caleb Downs in the On3 Consensus.

Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton four-star cornerback Cole Martin is the only 2023 Oregon commit at the moment.

The 2022 Ducks recruiting class is the No. 24 group in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking, despite only having 11 commits currently. One of those 11 players is a safety: Portland (Ore.) Jefferson four-star safety Trejon Williams.

While Williams did not sign with the program during the early signing period, the current expectation is for him to sign with the Ducks in February.