There are prospects who fit systems. And then there are prospects who become the system.

Caleb Downs is firmly in the second category.

The reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Jim Thorpe Award winner, and Lott Trophy recipient has made one thing clear throughout the draft process: his value isn’t tied to position. It’s tied to impact.

“At the end of the day, it’s not safety, it’s who affects the game,” Downs said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. “If you affect the game in a lot of ways, that’s what’s most important.”

That mindset is exactly why his draft range has been so wide, and why multiple teams across the board make sense as landing spots.

1. New York Giants

If there’s a team that makes sense near the top of the draft, it’s the Giants.

They need help across the defense, and Downs offers an immediate solution in multiple areas. He’s not just filling a role. He’s elevating the entire unit.

“If you watch my film, you see that I’m affecting the game in the box, in the deep part of the field…whatever it takes,” Downs said at the NFL Combine.

New York could plug him in anywhere and build around his versatility from day one.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

This is where things get interesting. If Downs falls to No. 9, the Chiefs may ignore other needs to select one of the most talented players in the draft.

Instead of asking him to carry a defense, Kansas City could deploy him as a true chess piece within an already elite unit.

“I feel like I have a lot of versatility… to be used in different systems in a lot of different ways,” Downs said.

That freedom could unlock even more from his game.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals sit just behind Kansas City at No. 10, and that positioning could force their hand. If Cincinnati views Downs as a true difference-maker, it may need to move ahead of the Chiefs to secure him.

And the fit is clear. Downs brings the type of versatility and processing ability that can immediately elevate a defense.

“My mind really puts me above a lot of people… how I process the game and play with instincts,” he said at the NFL Combine.

For a team looking to strengthen the back end and add a playmaker, Downs offers both immediate impact and long-term stability.

4. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas has built its defense around speed, versatility, and playmaking. Caleb Downs fits that identity immediately.

The Cowboys hold picks No. 12 and No. 20, and while Downs will almost certainly not be available at either spot, they have the flexibility to package one or both selections in a move to land the Ohio State star.

That kind of aggressiveness would make sense for a team looking to add another difference-maker on the back end.

“If you affect the game in a lot of ways, that’s what’s most important,” Downs said during the pre-draft process.

Whether it’s setting the tone physically, rotating over the top, or creating turnovers, Downs brings the type of impact Dallas prioritizes defensively. For a team already built on speed and disruption, adding a player like Caleb could take that unit to another level.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers would likely have to move up, but Downs feels like a natural fit for what Jim Harbaugh is building in Los Angeles.

This is a team searching for consistency and identity on defense, and Downs brings both. His ability to move across the formation, process quickly, and impact the game in multiple ways would give the Chargers a foundational piece on the back end.

“Wherever I end up…I’m going to make it work,” he said.

As the 2026 NFL Draft edges closer, speculation surrounding the best potential landing spots for the most notable prospects is running rampant.

This includes, of course, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.

The first-team All-American — who’s planning on attending next month’s draft in Pittsburgh in case he’s invited — has been heavily linked with a Top-10 pick since exploding on the scene at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in late February. A former safety, Styles has the size, speed and length scouts crave, high Football IQ, and a nasty old school attitude.

While Styles looks like the kind of player that could shine on any NFL roster, here are four teams picking at the top of the order that could provide an ideal fit for him:

Arizona Cardinals, Pick 3

Arizona could add to their Buckeye reunion in the desert at the third overall spot. After all, they already have Styles’ former teammate and predecessor with the Ohio State “Block O” jersey, Cody Simon, at the linebacker position after picking him up in the fourth round last year. 

Monti Ossenfort, Cardinals’ general manager since 2023, has picked up two former Buckeyes at the top of the first round since taking command in Arizona: offensive tackle Paris Johnson sixth overall in 2023, and wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall in 2024. Additionally, Ossenfort selected breakout cornerback Denzel Burke in the fifth round last year, so we know he keeps an eye on Columbus.

Some will argue that third overall is too high for an off-ball linebacker, but it’s also true that not many off-ball linebackers can do what Styles can do. Arizona could pair Styles with Simon in the middle of their 3-4, or maybe move Simon into Zaven Collins’ spot outside and have Styles play with Mack Wilson Sr. in the middle. Simon and Styles already possess great rapport together, having led Ohio State to a National Championship in 2024.

Tennessee Titans, Pick 4

New Titans’ head coach Robert Saleh enjoyed his best years as a defensive coordinator in the NFL while overseeing a linebacking corps that included the likes of Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair in San Francisco. He could add to that legacy in Tennessee with Styles. 

The Titans could plug Styles right away in the middle, alongside Cedric Gray, a fourth-rounder from 2024 who became a full-time starter last year. Or, Tennessee could leave veteran Cody Barton in the middle, and use Styles on the weak side. Either way, it’s an upgrade for a unit that finished last season with the fifth-highest points allowed per game average in the NFL, at 28.1.  

Tennessee is slated to pick fourth, and the potential of seeing Styles in Saleh’s Cover-3 scheme, as fast and rangy as he is, is mindblowing.

Miami Dolphins, Pick 11

The Dolphins currently own the 11th overall pick, which means they might have to climb a few spots if their heart is set on Styles. 

One of the biggest knocks against Miami during the recently-terminated Mike McDaniel-era was a lack of physicality on both sides of the ball. Styles would be a perfect first step to ending all that. 

Getting him on Miami’s roster is actually a gamble that could pay off. Current Dolphins’  linebacker Jordyn Brooks is coming off an All-Pro season where he led the league in tackles. There is rumored interest in Dallas acquiring Brooks via trade. 

Brooks is 28 years old and entering his final season under contract in Miami. Dealing him now seems perfect for maximizing the return. If Miami can get a high pick for Brooks, they could take Styles — assuming he’s still on the board — and have an immediate replacement that’s younger, cheaper, and with a much higher ceiling than Brooks, plus an extra high pick to invest elsewhere on the roster. 

Dallas Cowboys, Pick 12

Dallas’ Leighton Vander Esch saw his promising career ending prematurely in 2023 due to injuries.

Well, Styles might already be close to a Vander Esch level. 

Again, waiting for Styles to fall outside of the first 10 picks might not be the best idea and contrary to popular belief, Dallas isn’t overly aggressive trading up in the first round. But, if the Cowboys break from the trend, Styles would be well worth it. 

Styles would be an immediate starter in the middle, taking either Shemar James’ or DeMarvion Overshown’s place, as the Cowboys’ depth chart is currently projected. Either way, it’s a huge upgrade via one of the safest players in this draft at a position of need for Jerry Jones’ team. 

The first appearance by an Ohio State men’s basketball player in the McDonald’s All-American Game in 12 years was a quiet one.

Anthony Thompson, the first prep player signed by the Buckeyes to participate in the event since D’Angelo Russell in 2014, came off the bench for the East team and finished with 5 points, three rebounds, a block and two turnovers in a 102-86 loss.

More on Anthony Thompson: Ohio State five-star signee Anthony Thompson excited for McDonald’s Game

A five-star forward playing at Hudson (Ohio) Western Reserve Academy, Thompson is the highest-rated player to sign with OSU since Jared Sullinger in 2010 according to the 247Sports.com rankings. Inside Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Thompson subbed into the game with 4:55 left in the first half, turned the ball over on a drive and then buried a 3-pointer from the right corner.

“He can flame it up from the outside,” ESPN’s Paul Biancardi said on the broadcast.

One possession later, though, Thompson got the ball in transition, rushed a look from deep and airballed the 3-point attempt. After playing the remainder of the first quarter, Thompson sat until the second half, when he started for the East and was primarily matched up with Christian Collins, a USC signee. Again on the perimeter, Thompson crashed the glass, nabbed an offensive board and put it back for his final points of the night.