THE Caleb Downs to the New York Giants train appears to have picked up another passenger. NFL Draft Analyst Todd McShay of The Ringer selected Downs, the Ohio State safety, to the Giants in its new post-Super Bowl draft.
In his newsletter, McShay explained his choice this way:
Wide receiver and offensive line have drawn a lot of attention to this spot in mocks, but I’m not sure either would be a great fit. First off, I think the Giants will bring back unrestricted free agent RT Jermaine Eluemunor. If that happens, it will give them Andrew Thomas and Eluemunor as starting tackles and second-year OT/OG Marcus Mbow as a potential starting guard with swing tackle flexibility. I also think there is enough depth in this class to find a difference-making starter at WR (like a big vertical threat like Chris Brazzell II or an explosive YAC option like Zachariah Branch) in Round 2 to pair with Malik Nabers. There’s no IDL worth drafting here, but Downs would provide much-needed stability at guard, along with leadership and playmaking ability. He would be the new standard in preparation and attention to detail for New York on that side of the ball. Yes, the team drafted Jevon Holland in 2025 and drafted Tyler Nubin in the second round in 2024, but neither played well enough last season to secure their 2026 spot.
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Valentine’s Day view
If you’ve been following our cover project, you now know that a) I think this choice is entirely possible, and b) I would agree with it.
Yes, I am well aware that only two safeties – Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins in 2004 and Eric Berry of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010 – were selected 5th overall in the NFL Draft. I’m also aware that position value charts will tell you that safety is not as important as many other positions.
I also know what the Giants are. I know we’ve watched for two or more years that the Giants’ backfield has failed to make real game-changing plays and has been a liability at times. I know head coach John Harbaugh had safeties Ed Reed, a Hall of Famer, and Kyle Hamilton, a two-time All-Pro in four seasons in the NFL, while he was head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. I know defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson played safety and cut his teeth as a defensive backs coach.
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I know that too, or at least I’m relatively certain of it. If Downs is available at No. 5, he will be the highest-rated player in the draft. As the Giants defense is currently built, Downs could make a huge difference if he is the player analysts think he will be.
I used the The Ringer Downs Scouting Report last week. Here is one by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Preview
Productive, demanding safety with three years of big-game starting experience at Alabama and Ohio State. Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice to every shot. He is at his best when deployed close to the line as a safety or big defender. He’ll play a bit as a run defender, but he makes enough disruptive plays near the line of scrimmage to make up for that. He is fluent in man or zone through the first two levels and is rarely fooled by play action or misdirection. Although he is quick to get close and hit underneath, there are hints of caution that prevent him from playing more on the ball. Downs isn’t the biggest, fastest or most versatile player, but he constantly puts his stamp on games.
Highlights
Agent of disruption near the line of scrimmage.
Don’t hesitate to intervene in support of the race.
Represents sharp runners with change of direction and twitchy body control.
Becomes a tackle magnet once the run spills outside the tackle box.
Disciplined in handling stacks, packets and route combinations.
Denies leverage to the receiver from off-man coverage.
Explodes sideways to reflect pauses and stays sticky during transitions.
Plays with exceptional awareness and is difficult to fool when misdirected.
Good instincts and bursting to get close to centers and digs.
Quick finisher from the short zone and consistently limits YAC against the fast play.
Weaknesses
He runs off the edge and dives wildly into the backfield.
A diminished appetite can get him stuck in the trash.
Inconsistent wrapping and passing through tackles.
Focuses too much on the receiver instead of locating the ball.
Lack of length to defend jump balls downfield.
Has some issues with the size of the “Y” tight ends in man coverage.
