Ohio State star safety Caleb Downs is leaving school early and declaring for the NFL draft, he announced on social media Wednesday.
Downs is projected as a top-10 pick in ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid's current rankings. No safety has been picked in the top 10 since the Jets took Jamal Adams with the No. 6 pick in 2017.
This year, Downs earned the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college football.
He was also a two-time unanimous All-American and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Downs had 68 tackles this season, to go along with two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a sack.
He led an Ohio State defense that ranked No. 1 nationally allowing just 9.3 points per game.
Downs, the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023, transferred to Ohio State from Alabama during the 2024 offseason after coach Nick Saban's retirement.
He had the game-ending interception in last year's College Football Playoff semifinals victory over Texas, as the Buckeyes went on to win the national championship over Notre Dame.
"Competing for Ohio State these past two years, alongside my teammates, and upholding this tradition has been one of the greatest honors of my life," Downs wrote in a statement.
Downs joins Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, who announced Tuesday he was entering the draft and is also a projected top-10 pick.
