Why Field Yates believes Caleb Downs will be a ‘tone-setter’ for Cowboys

Sep 2, 2026 - 01:45

With the 2026 NFL season rapidly approaching, fans of all 32 teams, and especially the Dallas Cowboys, are on the lookout for which rookie players have a chance to make some serious waves right out of the gate.

Discussing just that on ESPN, college football expert Field Yates laid out five of his favorites, including Caleb Downs, who he believes could be a certified difference maker for the Cowboys even as a safety.

“And then last but not least, Caleb Downs. Now, there were some really good, thoughtful conversations just prior to the draft about the value of a safety and whether Caleb Downs had the goods to be a premier NFL safety in the category of guys like Ed Reed or Sean Taylor and some of the guys that have been remembered amongst the very best in the past 20 years,” Yates said.

“Here’s what I do know about Caleb Downs. He’s a tone setter. It’s rare for a tone setter to be your safety on defense as well. Incredibly physical, has good versatility. I don’t think the Cowboys will tap into this, but you may remember from Caleb Downs’ one year at Alabama, he could be a premier punt returner as well. More added value for a guy that slid all the way down to pick number 11. To me, he was a top-six prospect in the draft, but because he plays safety, he slid just outside the top ten.”

Widely considered one of the best, if not the best, player in the 2026 NFL Draft if positions were thrown out, Downs has a chance to make an immediate impact as a do-it-all Swiss Army knife in Christian Parker’s defense, filling a role similar to Cooper DeJean in the Vic Fangio system the first-year coordinator is coming from. If that happens, the Cowboys’ defense has a chance to go from a liability to a weapon in a hurry, which, when paired with Brian Schottenheimer’s offense, has the potential to be downright scary.