For those who watched Caleb Downs take the field at Ohio State's Pro Day on Wednesday, he looked every bit like the generational safety prospect he was hyped up as. He didn't look like a player who was handicapped by a degenerative knee issue that's been rumored to potentially derail his career.
And for the New York Giants, that's probably the best news to come out of their presence at the Buckeyes' Pro Day. Not only were they able to get a closer look at Downs, but his Ohio State teammates Sonny Styles and Carnell Tate, and it looks likely that one of them will be the pick at five.
Thankfully, the Giants' front office was able to get some answers on his medicals. Not only did Downs himself address the media about it after taking the field, The Athletic beat reporter Dan Duggan reported that he heard that nothing about his knee issue sounding any alarms within the front office.
The New York Giants have nothing to be worried about concerning Caleb Downs' knee
The best part is that Downs himself debunked the issues about his knee. It's a little worrisome he never outwardly said that his knee is okay, but the only thing he really opted out of at Ohio State's was running the 40. But it's not like that'll matter much when he didn't participate in the combine either.
Downs has a laundry list of accolades that prove his track record carries far more weight than any rumored knee issue will. For a Giants' secondary that needs impact players for new DC Dennard Wilson, it's hard to imagine he isn't the favorite to be a Giant, especially after this major update.
The former five-star recruit has been one of the best safeties in the nation since he stepped on a college football field. He was dangerous at Alabama, but once he transferred to Ohio State, Downs took his game to another level as the best defender for OSU's 2024 championship-winning squad.
The 21-year-old is the reigning Jim Thorpe Award winner and is a three-time All-American, including unanimous first-team nominations in each of his last two seasons. There's a reason he's been compared to Kyle Hamilton, another safety John Harbaugh drafted in the first round. There's a clear reason Giants brass was seen talking to Downs for an extended period of time afterward.
The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year may not play at a premium position or have lit up the combine like some of his Ohio State teammates, but pound for pound, he might be the best player in this draft class. And if this knee issue does turn out to be a nothing-burger, he's probably the safest prospect the Giants could draft at No. 5.