Ohio
Is Caleb Downs already the best in Ohio State’s storied history?
COLUMBUS, Ohio — With his NFL Draft declaration, the debate intensifies around Downs’ legacy — was his combination of physical gifts and football IQ enough to surpass Buckeye legends despite playing only two seasons?
With Caleb Downs declaring for the NFL Draft, a fascinating historical debate has erupted among Ohio State faithful: Is he already the greatest safety in program history despite playing just two seasons in Columbus?
The conversation typically centers around three legendary figures: Downs, Jack Tatum, and Mike Doss. Each boasts an impressive resume of accolades, championship hardware, and game-changing performances that transformed the safety position at Ohio State.
“My initial reaction is probably no. But he’s the best. He’s he’s the most talented safety to ever play at Ohio State,” said Andrew Gillis, drawing an important distinction. “Like he’s the best at football, but I think only two years here compared to maybe some of the other guys, I wonder if when you compare the totality of that argument…”
The statistical case for Downs is undeniable. As Stephen Means recounted: “Caleb DS, two-time unanimous all-American, Jim Thorp award winner, lot trophy award, lot trophy winner, national champion, Big 10 defensive player of the year, and he was also a second team all-American as a true freshman. He was also the SEC freshman of the year. and he’s a two-time Big 10 defensive back of the year.”
This remarkable collection of accolades rivals those of his predecessors. Jack Tatum, a cornerstone of the “Super Sophomores” and two-time national champion, was a two-time unanimous All-American and had a trophy named after him. Mike Doss was a national champion, unanimous All-American, and three-time All-Big Ten performer.
What separated Downs from other elite safeties wasn’t just his physical abilities but his extraordinary football intelligence. Gillis explained: “The best thing about it was not just Caleb DS is really good and he’s athletic, but like what makes him special is you’ve got a supercomputer in his helmet on the back end of that defense. And that is not something that you can take lightly.”
This “supercomputer” quality transformed Ohio State’s defense, allowing them to disguise coverages at an elite level and confuse even the most sophisticated offensive minds. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian noted early in the season how Downs’ presence made Ohio State’s defensive disguises particularly challenging to decipher.
Perhaps Downs’ greatest performance came in a losing effort against Miami, where he set a College Football Playoff record with two forced fumbles in a single game. As Means noted: “Caleb DS was at god level against Miami and you don’t get to appreciate it because the offense couldn’t get to in the second half.”
The case against Downs rests primarily on his shorter tenure. While Tatum and Doss enjoyed longer Ohio State careers, allowing them to accumulate more statistical achievements and memorable moments, Downs’ impact was perhaps more concentrated and immediately transformational.
The fact that this debate exists at all speaks to Downs’ extraordinary impact. After transferring from Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement, Downs immediately established himself as one of the most impactful transfers in program history, comparable to the legendary Joe Burrow.
“Caleb came in day one to Ohio State and led them to N, right?” Stefan Krajisnik observed. “Like even Burrow transferred, but it still took a little time. Like Caleb came in and it was like this is a team that needs to win a national title. Here is a star to put in the middle of it all.”
Whether Downs ultimately ranks first, second, or third in the pantheon of great Ohio State safeties may remain forever debated. What’s undeniable is that in just two seasons, he forced his way into a conversation that usually requires a longer resume. His combination of physical talent, football IQ, and championship pedigree ensures his legacy will endure long after his departure to the NFL.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
CINCINNATI (WKRC) — Sixty percent of children in Ohio are not ready for kindergarten when they start school.
Now, a national nonprofit is working to change that by expanding access to books and promoting early literacy across the state.
Sixty percent of children in Ohio are not ready for kindergarten when they start school. (WKRC file)
Nedra Smith has seen the difference firsthand. Her two young daughters receive books through the program at their pediatrician visits at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
“They love to read now,” Smith said. “We’ll randomly be out and they’ll see a book and want to read a book.”
Reach Out and Read partners with pediatricians to give children books during regular checkups and encourage parents to read aloud with them. The program has been part of Cincinnati Children’s for more than a decade.
“They typically come in and tell us they got new books,” Smith said. “They typically ask me to read the book right then and there.”
Program leaders say early literacy is increasingly being recognized as an important part of a child’s overall health and development.
“Initially, literacy may not have been in the forefront or seen as a health benefit,” said Kristy High, program manager for Reach Out and Read. “Well-child checks focus on shots, nutrition, and those things; but now we want to focus on those main benefits for the development and milestones when it comes to learning.”
The organization is now working to expand its reach statewide, with a goal of serving children in all 88 Ohio counties.
“We know that those first five years of life are the most critical for brain development,” said Steven Lake, executive director of Reach Out and Read Ohio. “If we can intervene as early as possible, essentially, we reach out at birth; we know we can have the greatest impact.”
Smith encourages other parents to participate in the program and read to their children.
“It’s fun,” Smith said. “It’s actually fun to see them light up, and I think they’ll pass that on to their own kids as well.”
Reach Out and Read also partners with providers in Kentucky and Indiana. You can find a participating provider near you on the organization’s website.
If you are a doctor looking to participate in the program, click here.
The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Pick 3
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 8-6-2
Evening: 7-0-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 9-4-7-0
Evening: 0-6-1-8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.
Midday: 1-7-3-7-4
Evening: 9-0-8-8-0
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Rolling Cash 5
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.
16-19-33-36-38
Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 11:15 p.m.
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.
Ryan Day will have some very familiar competition in the Big 10 soon.
The son of the Ohio State football coach, R.J. Day, announced his commitment to Northwestern for the Class of 2027 on Sunday.
Northwestern plays in the same conference as Ohio State and the schools will face each other.
R.J. Day, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound quarterback from — not surprisingly — Columbus, Ohio, has started for three years at St. Francis DeSales HS as he heads towards his senior season.
According to reports, the younger Day had other offers from Purdue, Syracuse, Cincinnati and South Florida, as well as others.
Northwestern has eight quarterbacks on head coach David Braun’s roster.
And the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats is Chip Kelly, who served in the same role for Ryan Day at Ohio State when the Buckeyes won the title in 2024.
Kelly, the former head coach at UCLA and Oregon, was also the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire when Ryan Day was the team captain from 1998-2001.
Most recently, Kelly was the OC with the Las Vegas Raiders before he took the job with Northwestern.
“It’s really surreal when you think about the relationships that we’ve had with those two as a family over the years,” R.J. Day told ESPN earlier this month. “Coach Kelly coached my dad in college, so that adds another layer to it.”
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