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Report: Caleb Downs to Meet with Ohio State After Leaving Alabama for Transfer Portal
The Ohio State football team has already had an excellent offseason with a number of key players returning to school to go along with some recruiting wins, but it might get even better in the coming days.
Pete Nakos of On 3 reported members of the Buckeyes’ coaching staff traveled to Georgia on Thursday to meet with Alabama defensive back Caleb Downs, who entered the transfer portal as one of the best players in the country following Nick Saban’s retirement.
Convincing Downs to head to Ohio State will not be an easy task for the Scarlet and Gray.
As Nakos noted, his high school recruitment came down to Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia, and the Bulldogs figure to be quite the factor again following his decision to enter the transfer portal.
Not only is Georgia closer to home, the Bulldogs hired former Alabama defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson as their co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Nakos said head coach Kirby Smart’s program “is thought to have the upper hand in his recruitment at the moment.”
It will be up to Ohio State’s coaches to change his mind, and they can make quite the sales pitch.
After all, the Buckeyes’ only regular-season loss last season came by six points on the road against a Michigan team that went on to win the national title. After narrowly missing a chance to compete for a title, they brought back a number of key contributors who decided to put off their NFL dreams for another season in Columbus.
That group includes running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and offensive lineman Donovan Jackson on offense and defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, defensive tackles Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton, linebacker Cody Simon, cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock, and safety Lathan Ransom on defense.
Throw in the addition of star Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, who transferred to the Buckeyes this offseason, and the talent is in place to win a national title in what figures to be a make-or-break season for head coach Ryan Day.
The defense was one of the best in the country last season and would elevate to another level with the addition of Downs to that group of returnees.
Downs helped lead the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff as the SEC Freshman of the Year with 107 tackles, four passes defended, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Pairing Downs with Ransom, who Pro Football Focus noted had the lowest passer rating allowed in coverage last season among all safeties, would mean an elite defensive backfield for the Buckeyes.
They just have to convince him to join the fold.