One personnel director described Downs as a three-level player whose length isn’t ideal and whose speed isn’t elite, but who blends the upside of Budda Baker and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The assessment: Downs is worthy of a top-10 selection and versatile enough to fit multiple roles on defense.
Downs began his college career at Alabama in 2023 before transferring to Ohio State, where he helped win a national championship in 2024. He followed that with a standout 2025 season, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors and capturing the Jim Thorpe Award.
The Baker comparison is common in league circles, largely because Downs and Baker share a productive profile despite size questions typical of safety prospects. Baker has built a storied career with the Arizona Cardinals, illustrating the ceiling Downs could aspire to reach if he lands in the right situation.
For the Cardinals, landing Downs at No. 3 overall already seems unlikely. Prospect chatter suggests Arizona may trade down to recoup picks, and even if Downs were available, he wouldn’t necessarily address the team’s most pressing needs—quarterback, offensive line, running back, or pass rush—early in the draft. Mock scenarios around the league have suggested various paths that don’t center on a Downs selection at No. 3.
In short, Downs is a top-tier, high-ceiling defender drawing Baker-style comparisons, but the draft reality for Arizona remains fluid. The coming weeks will determine whether the team moves to add him later in the first round or pursues other positional targets as it begins its rebuild.
