Nick Saban says Caleb Downs has "added a lot" to Alabama's secondary
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama has seen its fair share of freshmen defensive backs make a first-year impact since coach Nick Saban arrived back in 2007. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Patrick Surtain II, Malachi Moore and, most recently, Kool-Aid McKinstry all started — or at least contributed like a starter — early in their college careers.
Five-Star Plus freshman Caleb Downs could be the next in line.
The former Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek standout has generated quite a buzz since getting on campus back in December. Really, the hype started long before his arrival, but the talk of being a potential first-year starter in 2023 really started to ramp up during Sugar Bowl practices. That belief has only strengthened as we’ve gotten further into spring practice.
Following Alabama’s final practice ahead of the annual Golden Flake A-Day Game this Saturday, Saban was asked to share his thoughts on Downs. Needless to say, he’s been more than a little impressed with the performance he’s seen from the 6-foot, 203-pound defensive back.
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“He’s done great,” Saban said of Downs. “He’s got lots of maturity for a young guy, smart, understands football. Really conscientious about making sure he knows what to do and going out on the field and doing it. So he’s had a really good spring and really has added a lot to the secondary with the way he’s played. He’s a good player.”
Downs is a potential transformative piece for Alabama’s secondary.
His size and well-rounded skill set makes him a versatile defender who can line up in multiple spots, including safety and Star. From everything that we’ve heard, Downs has been spending time at safety alongside Moore and Kristian Story. Moore brings the playing experience, and Story has been in the program for three seasons.
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Downs is different though.
Not only is he physical in run support when rolling down to attack the line of scrimmage, but he’s also an elite cover guy who can be effective in both man and zone. There aren’t many safeties out there who possess his blend of strength and athleticism, which is why he’s drawn comparisons to former Tennessee star Eric Berry.
Maybe more importantly than his supreme physical traits, Downs also gets it between the ears. He’s a tough, instinctive safety with a motor that’s on full display through being extremely active. Like I said, there just aren’t a lot of guys out there like him. Saban — from his comments — clearly understands the rariety of Downs, too.
Pretty much from the first practice of spring, the freshman has been seeing action with the first-team defense. As I said earlier, we’ve seen other guys serve important roles and even start as first-year defensive backs, but I don’t know that we’ve ever seen a player come in and take hold of significant role this early.
I’m sure Alabama fans are looking forward to seeing him in action this Saturday.
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