The New York Giants have two top-10 picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and they have been connected to a lot of really exciting prospects with those picks. One of those prospects is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. The safety is one of the best defenders in the class, and arguably the best overall player in the draft — it’s no surprise why the Giants would want to draft him.
Turns out, New York is also an appealing landing spot for Downs. On Wednesday, the prospects who will attend the draft in person were with the NFL hosting an event in Pittsburgh. After the event, the soon-to-be draftees took time to speak with media members, and that’s when Downs revealed that being drafted by the Giants would be special for him.
The reason why is that his father, Gary Downs, was drafted by New York back in 1994. Caleb Downs made it clear that he’d be happy with wherever he goes, but also emphasized that it’d be cool to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Caleb Downs says getting drafted by the Giants would be special because he'd be following in his dad's footsteps
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) April 22, 2026
His father, Gary, was a third-round pick by the Giants in 1994 pic.twitter.com/m4xTGOoHqB
Caleb Downs says it would be awesome to be drafted by the Giants like his father
Gary Downs was a running back, drafted by New York in the third round of the 1994 Draft. He played two seasons with the Giants, recording 180 total yards in his 20 games with the team. Now, his son has the chance to be drafted by the franchise, and much earlier than he did.
Caleb Downs is considered one of the safest bets in the draft, and a big reason why is his NFL pedigree. In addition to his father playing in the league, Downs’ older brother is Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs, and his uncle is Dré Bly, who spent 11 years in the league as a corner. Learning from all of his NFL relatives certainly helped him become the special player that he is on and off the field.
The question now is if Downs will hear his name called by the Giants like his father. It’s certainly a possibility, and some think it’s the most likely option for draft night. While that would be a great outcome for New York and the Downs family, everyone will have to wait and see how things will unfold Thursday night.
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