Caleb Downs wants to forge his own path to greatness.
The Dallas Cowboys rookie safety made that clear to a fan after he was selected 11th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.
In a video shared by Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Downs was approached by a fan to ask for his autograph. The fan told Downs that he hopes the Ohio State Buckeyes product would become the “next Ed Reed.”
Being compared to one of the greatest ever to play the position must be nice to hear, but Downs wants to define his own legacy in the league.
“I’m gonna be myself,” Downs responded.
Here’s a clip of that interaction:
A fan walked up to Caleb Downs for an autograph as he walked into The Star and said, “Hope you’re the next Ed Reed.”
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 24, 2026
Downs: “I’m gonna be myself.” pic.twitter.com/Nby0roEVUb
It was perhaps not the first time that Downs heard someone compare him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back.
For one, college football analyst Joel Klatt said that Downs “can line up anywhere but then play any position from any part of the field, very similar to Reed,” during an appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” just before the draft.
Only time can tell whether Downs will be able to live up to the hype that just got amplified even more by the fact that he’s now on America’s Team.
In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Downs racked up 150 combined tackles and 4 interceptions in 30 games.
