Battle for star Alabama safety transfer brewing between CFP contenders
Caleb Downs was a revelation for the Alabama Crimson Tide as a freshman.
That was to be expected—as a five-star recruit, he had an amazing background. Gary Downs, his father, was an NFL player for seven years. In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Josh Downs, his brother, in the third round. Dre Bly, the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and Super Bowl champion, is his uncle.
In the 2023 class, Downs was considered the top safety prospect. He lived up to the high expectations placed on him with a rookie season that included 107 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions, earning him the title of SEC Freshman of the Year.
He was a star for Alabama, but with Nick Saban retiring, Downs officially decided to take his star power
by way of the transfer portal, somewhere.
Now, where to?
Although Downs is now accessible to any coach and university, it’s important to remember that his father just informed 247Sports that a decision would be made soon and that previous relationships will actually matter.
Gary Downs said to Steve Wiltfong, “Our time is so short and we don’t have time to look at a lot of unknowns.” “Previous relationships with people must be included. Knowing that you have to be ready for change, we want to look for a place that is stable, with the same coach and coordinators. He recently turned nineteen. He has a lot on his plate right now. You don’t approach this circumstance with the intention of transferring.”
Two programs should immediately come to mind for a Downs landing spot: Georgia and Ohio State.
Georgia, in particular, should be a massive factor because Downs hails from Hoschton, Georgia, and UGA’s new
Travaris Robinson, Alabama’s defensive coordinator, was one of his main recruiters. Robinson was just promoted by Kirby Smart after being retrieved from Alabama. It also seems that Smart and Downs get along well.
In this case, UGA is unquestionably in the lead and is most likely to prevail in the transfer portal competition. Don’t write Ohio State off, though. Tim Wilton, the defensive back coach for Ohio State, has reportedly already traveled to Georgia to meet with Downs, and the Buckeyes will likely take a tough stance when dealing with the safety.
Notably, before Downs committed to Saban and Alabama as a recruit, he was a finalist for both Georgia and Ohio State. Notre Dame was the other finalist he had.
