Cowboys' Caleb Downs is already living up to the hype in Dallas
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Cowboys' Caleb Downs is already living up to the hype in Dallas originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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When the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones drafted Caleb Downs, they weren't doing it for the heck of it. They have serious expectations for this young, budding star.
The Cowboys snagged Downs with the 11th overall pick in the draft this year. He's seen as the kind of explosive defensive player that the Cowboys needed to help bolster what's been a largely weak defense.
Now, they have him, and the good news is that nothing he's done during the preseason should really make Jones wonder if he made a mistake.
Caleb Downs is proving he can do what Dallas hoped
Todd Archer of ESPN gives Downs two thumbs up on his performance so far in a feature discussing the NFL rookies and how they're performing in camp. In the piece, he mentions that Downs has high expectations to fill and that, so far, he's doing just that.
"Expectations have been high since the Cowboys moved up a spot to take him, and Downs has done nothing but meet every standard," Archer notes. "He has shown he can play in the slot and cover shifty receivers while also being a willing run defender. He can also play on the back end."
Archer also projects that he'll be a starter for the team's first game in September. He also quotes defensive coordinator Christian Parker saying that Downs "definitely has a fire to him and an edge."
A fire and an edge are both things the Cowboys' defense needs this season. They have talent on offense, such as Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, but their defense has to help keep the other team from getting points on the board.
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