First-round pick Caleb Downs made his preseason debut Saturday against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
NBC 5’s Newy Scruggs sat down with Downs to talk about his transition to professional football.
Downs is already a starter, impressing coaches, players, and reporters alike at training camp; now he’s trying to help turn around one of the worst defenses in franchise history.
In November, Downs is hoping to lock down his brother Josh, who is a receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.
“I talked to him, probably two- three-days ago. I mean, just how he was doing, how that camp was going. But, right now, we’re just both in the moment. So it’s nothing really about that day. Right now,” Downs said. ” I mean, he’s just a jersey number at that point. So he got to get hit.”
Josh Downs was All-ACC at North Carolina in Chapel Hill; their father, Gary, played at NC State. Caleb had hometown dreams until Alabama came calling.
“There’s a story of me like, I was a young kid when I first got offered by NC State, and it was like my second offer, and I was so excited. I was like, I’m not going to let you down like my brother did. So I partially committed as a freshman in high school because I just didn’t know any better. I was like, I’m coming, though; don’t worry about it. I’m coming. But yeah, I mean, those schools were near and dear to my family. My mom went there, my aunt went there, my uncle went to USC as well. So, a lot of history in those schools. But I was focused on other places,” Downs said.
Downs later transferred to Ohio State, where he won a national championship (2025).
“I already knew who I was, so I wouldn’t say it changed my confidence. I would say it gives me a challenge for this level right here. Because I won in high school. I won in college. Makes me push to win something here,” Downs said.
Downs is keeping his goals private, but he knows expectations are high as he learns the NFL.
“I want to prepare myself each week to put myself in a position to get there. So I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily numbered goals or I want to win this award, just more. So just process-oriented in terms of how I want to be each week,” Downs said. “Yeah, super competitive. I mean, that’s the basis of it. Everybody’s good. Everybody’s playing at a high level. And I feel like that’s the biggest thing. And making sure yourself, your body’s ready to go out and compete every day. I feel like those are the two biggest things. And then just every day having to be locked in just because the competition level is so big,” Downs said.
Downs’ coaches and teammates describe him as curious.
“I usually say learn like learning, but I actually like that. Curious is probably a better word,” Downs said. “I watch film at breakfast every day. Going into the day, figure out we’re doing red area. Are we doing third down? See what I’m going up against.”
Downs is also a big reader.
“When I start doing my podcast, they’ll be the books that I read behind there,” Downs said.
He recommended three books: Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter; It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life, by Andy Staples and Trevor Moawad; and Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable, by Tim Grover.
Grover was Michael Jordan’s trainer, who was later hired by Kobe Bryant. Downs said Grover spoke to the University of Alabama football team when Downs was on the team.
Downs also ended the interview by saying LeBron James was the greatest NBA player of all-time. Scruggs is sticking with Michael Jordan.
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First-round pick Caleb Downs made his preseason debut Saturday against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
NBC 5's Newy Scruggs sat down with Downs to talk about his transition to professional football.
Downs is already a starter, impressing coaches, players, and reporters alike at training camp; now he's trying to help turn around one of the worst defenses in franchise history.
In November, Downs is hoping to lock down his brother Josh, who is a receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.
"I talked to him, probably two- three-days ago. I mean, just how he was doing, how that camp was going. But, right now, we're just both in the moment. So it's nothing really about that day. Right now," Downs said. " I mean, he's just a jersey number at that point. So he got to get hit."

Josh Downs was All-ACC at North Carolina in Chapel Hill; their father, Gary, played at NC State. Caleb had hometown dreams until Alabama came calling.
"There's a story of me like, I was a young kid when I first got offered by NC State, and it was like my second offer, and I was so excited. I was like, I'm not going to let you down like my brother did. So I partially committed as a freshman in high school because I just didn't know any better. I was like, I'm coming, though; don't worry about it. I'm coming. But yeah, I mean, those schools were near and dear to my family. My mom went there, my aunt went there, my uncle went to USC as well. So, a lot of history in those schools. But I was focused on other places," Downs said.
Downs later transferred to Ohio State, where he won a national championship (2025).
"I already knew who I was, so I wouldn't say it changed my confidence. I would say it gives me a challenge for this level right here. Because I won in high school. I won in college. Makes me push to win something here," Downs said.
Downs is keeping his goals private, but he knows expectations are high as he learns the NFL.
"I want to prepare myself each week to put myself in a position to get there. So I wouldn't say it's necessarily numbered goals or I want to win this award, just more. So just process-oriented in terms of how I want to be each week," Downs said. "Yeah, super competitive. I mean, that's the basis of it. Everybody's good. Everybody's playing at a high level. And I feel like that's the biggest thing. And making sure yourself, your body's ready to go out and compete every day. I feel like those are the two biggest things. And then just every day having to be locked in just because the competition level is so big," Downs said.
Downs' coaches and teammates describe him as curious.
"I usually say learn like learning, but I actually like that. Curious is probably a better word," Downs said. "I watch film at breakfast every day. Going into the day, figure out we're doing red area. Are we doing third down? See what I'm going up against."
Downs is also a big reader.
"When I start doing my podcast, they'll be the books that I read behind there," Downs said.
He recommended three books: Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter; It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life, by Andy Staples and Trevor Moawad; and Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable, by Tim Grover.
Grover was Michael Jordan's trainer, who was later hired by Kobe Bryant. Downs said Grover spoke to the University of Alabama football team when Downs was on the team.
Downs also ended the interview by saying LeBron James was the greatest NBA player of all-time. Scruggs is sticking with Michael Jordan.
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