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S Caleb Downs (All B1G, All-American)

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BuckBackHome said:


Not sure if this has been shared before, but just came across it. I understand it is a highlight reel, but it is scary how good this young man is!
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Never saw his full highlight film, thanks for sharing that. First, he is built like an NFL safety as a frosh and it pays dividends because he meets the ball carrier with FORCE. Flies to the ball in the backfield or right at the line, almost fills gaps near the line like a LB. In coverage, he always highpoints the ball and somehow is in the hip pocket of receivers down the seam when in man (very rare to see). This is our guy that is going to eliminate the better TE's that we play with his size, physicality and athleticism. Also does a great job of batting the ball and getting his arm out front without interfering with the receiver. Guys, this might be the best safety in the nation next year...I see a Buckeye tree in his future.
 
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Thanks for re-posting it. I hadn't watched it, either. My overall impression was that he has excellent tackling technique. He's not just one of those safeties who comes in like a missile for the hit, doesn't wrap up and misses half of the time (looking at you, younger Josh Proctor). He takes the right angle, wraps, goes low, if necessary, and gets the guy on the ground. We have needed that on the back end.

Also, holy schnikies, he gets north-south on a return quickly. I think it's the first return highlight, he comes out of a reverse spin and is north-south at speed right-damn-now. Let's get him out there. I love Egbuka as a receiver, but I think we can now do better in the return game.
 
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As someone who doesn't really follow recruiting, I have only a very high level sense of these things based on having watched a few videos here and there, but over a long period of time. So if my sense of this is off-base... that's fine. Let me know in what way; even at my age I still have a lot to learn.

From my uneducated perspective, I have the sense that in the few recruiting videos that I DO see, that if the player in question (especially if they're a safety) isn't faster than everyone else on the screen, then they're not even a D1 prospect. But at the college level, it is RARE to see someone who plays faster than everyone else. The first time I saw it was Randy Gradishar in 1973. Chase Young at the DE position looked faster than anyone else playing at the LOS. And in between those two, there was Ted Ginn ("... SECRETARIAT AT THE BELMONT!!!).

But that's what I see when I look at some of these plays. Caleb is playing faster than everyone else. And it's not on high-school film. That's the Alabama defense that he is playing faster than. And while it does appear to be partly because he is tremendously athletic, much of that playing faster appearance comes from having processed things faster... he KNOWS where the ball is going sometimes, and on those plays, God help the ball carrier.

"Generational" gets thrown around far too often. Perhaps that's because players that would be generational elsewhere come through Ohio State all the time. But some players are even "Generational" in the Horseshoe. Caleb Downs just might be one of them.
 
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SEREbuckeye said:
Lol I’m 39, and I remember the off-season speculation on where Terrelle Pryor got his used Charger. Guess it feels light years different in a short time - or I’m just getting old :lol:
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Yes but there was always speculation when someone showed up in a decent somewhat new car were they getting deals from shady dealerships that could count as violation by a booster
 
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SEREbuckeye said:
Lol I’m 39, and I remember the off-season speculation on where Terrelle Pryor got his used Charger. Guess it feels light years different in a short time - or I’m just getting old :lol:
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Haha well I was there when TP and Duron Carter rolled up in a new whip every other week. Foolishly I might add because they didn't even try to hide it. At least now players can just broadcast it. Seems weird to someone our age for sure, but it's the new norm. But Caleb can cash in, he's going to be a key player this year.
 
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I was 10 and went to a Kentucky basketball camp as a kid and saw Walter McCarty and Tony Delk both pull up to the camp in Cadillacs. It was so out in the open and that was like 95/96. I couldn’t believe it even then that the NCAA couldn’t get these kids in trouble. Of course now it’s legal, I’m all for it for them to get whatever they want
 
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