Chad Simmons: Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State in close race for Caleb Downs' commitment

In June, five-star safety Caleb Downs of Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek took official visits to Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons believes that Downs “definitely wants to commit this summer” and that the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are the frontrunners in his decision. Ohio State is in contention as well.

“I was leaning more towards Ohio State maybe a month or so ago, but coming back from the official visits, I like where Alabama and maybe Georgia sit a little bit, slightly better than Ohio State right now,” Simmons said. “Again, I think it’s a three-team race between three power programs in Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State.”

According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Georgia is favored to land Downs’ commitment at 41.3 percent. Behind the Bulldogs is Ohio State (35.1 percent), Alabama (17.2 percent) and Notre Dame (2.2 percent).

Simmons mentioned there is still conflicting information being revealed on Downs and the three powerhouse programs in contention for his pledge.

“Depending on who you talk to and which source I talk to, I think you hear more Alabama, maybe more Georgia, more Ohio State,” Simmons said.

Downs is ranked as the No. 13 overall prospect and No. 1 safety in the 2023 On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also rated as the top player in Georgia.

The 5-foot-11.5, 195 pound safety had high praise for the programs in the lead for his commitment.

Downs told Simmons on Georgia:

“This trip was a mix of business and fun for me,” Downs told On3. “When I was in the facility and around the coaches, it was more of a business approach. I would talk to the coaches, look at different aspects of things, and it would be about business. 

“Then, when I was around the players, it was more about having fun. I wanted to hag out the team, the players and see how I related to them and if I could have fun. 

“It was really a mix of two sides for me on this visit to Georgia.”

On Ohio State:

“I learned a lot about what it would be like to be a player there, what the opportunities are in the city of Columbus, and what opportunities would be there as a player,” Downs told On3. “The city of Columbus is growing, there are opportunities there, and I liked what I was able to learn. I saw more about the vision for the future at Ohio State…

“I like what (defensive coordinator Jim) Knowles brings to the table. His defense is safety driven, the safties make a lot of plays, and that is a good aspect for me. He gets his safties in positon to make plays, he plays an aggressive style of defense, and it has caused offenses some problems. 

“I definitely can see myself fitting in, in coach Knowles defense. I like what he does.”

On Alabama:

“I hadn’t talked ball with (defensive coordinator Pete) Golding, so I did that and he went on the board with me and watched film this morning,” Caleb Downs said. “I’d already been talking a lot with Coach Kelly, so I didn’t really need to talk ball with him because I know how he teaches. Coach T-Rob, I talked to him a lot in the past when he was at South Carolina and Miami. So that relationship has been there with him; he’s a good dude. We talked a little bit just to see how he teaches…

“[The scheme] is very versatile,” he added. “We talked a lot about their packages and how they’ve used players in the past, and how I fit in there. Just being able to play multiple positions and put it out on tape to help you go to the next level. … [I’d] start off really the where the need is, whether they need more safety bodies or people or STAR at that time. And then see where the best fit is later.”