Georgia, Ohio State teams to watch for Alabama DB Caleb Downs

Alabama defensive back Caleb Downs has officially entered the transfer portal, becoming the top-ranked player to enter college football’s free agency this cycle.

The SEC Freshman of the Year and second-team All-American will receive interest from plenty of suitors, but multiple sources have told On3 that Georgia and Ohio State are the two teams to watch. Both were finalists to land Downs in his high school recruitment.

The Bulldogs are thought to have the upper hand to land the defensive back, who became the first Alabama freshman to lead his team in tackles in program history dating back to at least 1970. A Georgia native, the former Five-Star Plus+ prospect was recruited by Charles Kelly and Travaris Robinson to Alabama. Both are no longer with the Tide, and Robinson was recently named the new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in Athens.

There’s also some familiarity with the Georgia roster. Downs played 7-on-7 with five-star signee KJ Bolden, plus Oscar Delp and Gunner Stockton. Former Alabama safety Jake Pope recently transferred to Georgia, too.

Ohio State is also expected to be in the mix. The Buckeyes were in it until Downs signed with Alabama, landing an unofficial visit with the 5-foot-11.5, 190-pound defensive back in November 2022. Ohio State safeties coach Perry Eliano served as the main recruiter for Downs during his original recruitment; Eliano and Ohio State recently parted ways. However, the family is also close with Buckeyes’ secondary coach Tim Walton, who is still on staff.

Caleb Downs to command top dollar on open market

There’s no questioning how talented Downs is and the price he will be able to command on the open market. With booster-funded NIL collectives at every Power 4 school, the defensive back will have plenty of offers come his way.

His On3 NIL Valuation currently sits at $661,000. Speaking with a range of sources, most believe he will be able to command a seven-figure annual deal. That will put him in the top echelon of deals in the sport, next to the elite quarterbacks.

One NIL collective leader speculated his value between $750,000 to $1 million, while another said “definitely seven figures.”

A Power 4 player personnel director said he was the unquestioned top player to enter the transfer portal to date. That includes a cycle that included Texas A&M transfers Walter Nolen and Evan Stewart.

Downs closed out his true freshman season with 107 total tackles, which ranked fourth in the SEC. He also tallied 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, he landed on first-team All-SEC as a true freshman.

Already thought to be a top prospect for the 2026 NFL draft, Downs is the younger brother of Josh Downs, the North Carolina product drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts.

“I think what impresses me most about Caleb Downs is his maturity,” former Alabama head coach Nick Saban said in December. “He’s a very instinctive football player, but this guy, there’s no arrogance about him, being one of the best players in the country at his position. He’s very focused, he’s very coachable. He wants to know everything that you can ever tell him about how he can play his position better. He takes coaching well when you talk to him about what he did or didn’t do.”