Star Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is set to play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the national championship, but did you know the Alabama-transfer almost picked Georgia over Ohio State? Downs explained why he signed Ohio State over Georgia after he entered the transfer portal.
“Georgia was a really big school for me, just because I grew up here,” Downs told Dawgnation’s Connor Riley. “And being really familiar with the coaching staff, Coach Kirby, (Will) Muschamp and T-Rob had just went there. So it was a really big opportunity to go there.”
Downs’ previous cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson nearly convinced Downs to transfer to Georgia after Robinson left Alabama shortly after Nick Saban’s retirement.
Downs became a Buckeye on Jan. 19, 2024. Since then, Downs became a unanimous All-American, totaling 77 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, six pass deflections, and a punt return touchdown. He’s the best player on Ohio State’s elite defense.
“Really, I felt like God was calling me there,” Downs said. “He made the situation come to fruition. The Holy Spirit has brought me here to this day. And I pray for God, not for me.”
During his freshman year at Alabama, he earned second-team All-American and the Coaches’ first-team All-SEC selection. Georgia got to see Downs in action during the 2023 SEC championship. Against the Bulldogs, he racked up seven tackles and one tackle for loss. Kirby Smart discussed him before the game.
“He doesn’t look like a freshman at all. He looks like a guy that’s been playing for three years,” Smart said. “He’s instinctive. He’s fast. He’s fearless. He’s everything that he was in high school. I’ve seen him play about 100 7-on-7 games at our stadium and at our facility when his high school team came over all the time, and he’s everything that we thought he was. He’s just a football player that is instinctive, great tackler. Just what you draw up when you want a defensive back.”
