Ohio State Buckeyes Star Caleb Downs Is A Finalist for Two Major Awards

Ohio State Buckeyes star safety Caleb Downs has been named a finalist for two major awards.

Nov 9, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) smiles during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio Stadium. / Samantha Madar-Imagn Images

When the Ohio State Buckeyes were able to land Caleb Downs in the transfer portal, everyone knew that they were getting a superstar.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide star was already one of the best safeties in the nation as a freshman. He still has room to grow and has not disappointed with Ohio State this season.

Due to his impressive play this year, Downs is receiving massive and well-deserved recognition.

Downs has been named a finalist for both the Thorpe Award and the Bednarik Award this season.

For those who don't know what the awards stand for, the Jim Thorpe award is an annual award given to the top college football defensive back. As for the Chuck Bednarik Award, it is given to the best defensive player in college football for every season.

Winning that award would be the equivalent of winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award in the NFL.

Being selected as a finalist for both awards is a major honor for Downs. It shows off the hard work he has put in and the difference he has made for the Buckeyes' defense in his first year with the program.

So far this season, Downs has racked up 50 total tackles to go along with 0.5 sacks and three defended passes. His numbers are not nearly as dynamic as they were last year, but his impact has been immense.

Not only has Downs made an impact defensively, he also returned the school's first punt for a touchdown in 10 years last week against the Indiana Hoosiers.

All across the field, Downs is capable of being an impact player. He's truly a swiss army knife kind of guy.

Looking ahead to his future, there is no question that the NFL is the expectation. He has at least one more year playing at Ohio State, but after that he'll likely end up being a high first-round pick.

It will be interesting to see if Downs ends up winning these awards. He's a finalist currently, but he's certainly deserving of winning both awards when it's all said and done.