Ohio State’s Caleb Downs Makes Announcement After Loss to Miami
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Caleb Downs and the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes saw their 2025 season come to an end with a 24-14 loss to Carson Beck and the No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State’s hopes of repeating as national champions are now over, and the program will turn its focus to reshaping the roster during the offseason.
Despite the loss, Downs turned in a solid performance against Miami, recording eight total tackles. The junior safety out of Hoschton, Georgia, has become a key piece of the Buckeyes’ defense over the past two seasons, totaling 149 tackles, seven pass deflections, two forced fumbles and four interceptions. With his play at Ohio State, Downs is now widely projected as a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, should he declare.
Off the field, Downs has secured several NIL deals with major brands, including Panini America, Beats by Dre and Celsius, with On3 assigning the safety an NIL valuation of $2.4 million. Following the College Football Playoff loss to Miami, Downs also had additional news to share, announcing the second annual All-Position Youth Football Camp alongside Game Day Youth Camps and Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate.
The camp will take place on March 29 at Ohio Stadium and will be open to 400 youth players at all positions. The basic camp package includes a limited-edition camp shirt, instruction from Downs and Tate and additional benefits. Upgraded packages offer a private meet-and-greet with Downs and Tate, along with autographed memorabilia.
“We’re excited to announce our 2nd Annual All-Position Youth Football Camp at the iconic Ohio Stadium!” Game Day Youth Camps wrote on Instagram in a joint post with Downs and Tate. “🏈 Register today at gamedayyouthcamps.com📍 Ohio Stadium 📅 March 29 We’ll see you at The Shoe!! We’ll see you at The Shoe!!”
While Downs prepares for his second annual youth camp, the Ohio State safety will have until mid-January to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft or elect to return for his senior season.
Related: Georgia’s Kirby Smart Misses Out on $750,000 After Ole Miss Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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