The journey to the NFL often forces players to choose which chapter of their college careers defines them the most. For Dallas Cowboys rookie safety Caleb Downs, that question started an interesting conversation about his football identity.

Downs appeared as a guest on the St. Brown Podcast and was asked about whether he would claim Alabama Crimson Tide football as part of his legacy in the NFL. The conversation revolved around the 7x national championship-winning coach.

“I claim Coach Saban as my coach, but I’m a Buckeye,” said Downs.

The former five-star transferred to the Ohio State Buckeyes after spending one season in Tuscaloosa. According to Downs, he made the decision after Saban retired from college football after 17 seasons in Alabama.

“It was really like when he retired, it was like, I don’t necessarily know why I came here because at the end of the day I wanted to go there to learn from him,” said Downs. “It pretty much just turned back into high school recruiting, and then Ohio State was my second school.”

However, Downs made it clear that legendary coach Nick Saban remains an important figure in his development. He acknowledged the impact Saban had on his growth as a player during his time in Tuscaloosa.

Although Downs became a star with the Buckeyes, his first year under Saban helped him form the instincts, discipline, and preparation. In his three years in college, Downs still made his career-best record of 70 solo tackles and 107 total tackles in Alabama.

Downs ranked fourth in the SEC in total tackles, including 3.5 for loss (-11 yards) in 2023.

Under Saban, Downs was the first player to lead the team in tackles in a single season. He earned Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-American honors in 2023.

After transferring to Ohio State, he earned two-time All-American honors along with the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott Trophy.

The Cowboys clearly believed Saban's coaching shaped Downs, and they traded for him with the 11th overall pick.

Cowboys Veteran Justin Simmons Sees Big Future for Caleb Downs in Dallas

In his last season with Ohio State, Downs posted 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. With Christian Parker overseeing the defense, his versatility and football instincts may make him a candidate to wear the green dot for Dallas.

As Downs continues to create excitement ahead of the 2026 season, veteran Justin Simmons explained why he believes Downs is the perfect fit that defensive coordinator Christian Parker needed.

“I think his versatility and what I know (Parker) wants to run, because he comes from that Vic Fangio style — he’ll add his own flavor to it — makes him a great fit," Simmons said via A to Z Sports.

According to the four-time All-Pro, Downs has a skill set similar to Ja'Quan McMillan and Cooper DeJean, and he expects him to play a similar role early on.

"This is as fine a young man as you're ever going to find to be a part of your team," the praise came from Saban after Downs' selection in the NFL draft. "He's a great competitor."

Downs will hit the field when the team resumes OTAs on Monday, June 8.

Can Downs make Coach Saban proud? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Hetal Moleshri

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar