Cleveland Browns fans are well aware of the importance of the NFL Draft; heck, it's the Super Bowl for many of them. Coming up in late April, Cleveland has 10 selections in the 2026 draft, including two picks in the first round and three selections in the fifth round.
For the Browns, one would have to assume they address the offensive line and wide receiving corps; that has to be a certainty. Free agency could help Cleveland add some playable depth on the offensive line it would seem, but both of those position groups are at least clear priorities going into the draft.
Those things aside, the Browns have to just continually add talent, and in the draft, perhaps that can apply to defensive depth and/or playmaking as well. The Browns have way less holes defensively, but as the Super Bowl and NFL playoffs demonstrated, having an elite unit there that creates havoc is never out of style.
With that in mind, it was noteworthy how in a recent post-Super Bowl mock draft by Bleacher Report's Scouting Department, Cleveland was nabbed taking safety prospect Caleb Downs with the sixth overall pick. Here was a bit more on the rationale there from B/R's Daniel Harms.
"New Browns head coach Todd Monken just witnessed what having a secondary running through Kyle Hamilton looks like. Downs has the instincts and speed to play on the roof of the defense as well as the route-recognition and football IQ to come down as a robber or two-high player. He can then man-up on tight ends as a big nickel.”
Why Caleb Downs could be the Browns’ surprise answer at No. 6 overall
Downs is not an elite offensive tackle prospect or receiver prospect, which are Cleveland’s biggest holes to fill this offseason/draft cycle. That’s the overall consensus it would appear, anyway.
Regardless, Downs is a player with tremendous instincts, has the requisite speed to cover a ton of ground and hits with force coming downhill. The Ohio State (who transferred from Alabama) product made plays all over the field both in coverage and in run support, and as Harms expressed, Downs would make an already impressive Browns defense an even better one.
Over the past two seasons at Ohio State, Downs racked up 150 tackles, to go with four interceptions and eight passes defensed. Additionally, he had 12.5 tackles for loss over two years at Ohio State, thanks largely to his speed, conviction and closing speed.
Downs was an invaluable presence for the Buckeyes, and playing for two years for Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia should bode well for Downs’ ability to hit the ground running at the next level.
Cleveland has a nice duo of safeties currently with Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman, and both are coming off a quality 2025. Although, with Downs being so versatile and having excellent feel in coverage, to go with being a sure, impact tackler, he could give Cleveland a different dynamic. Hickman is also scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason.
For further context, the aforementioned Patricia compared Downs' abilities to those of former NFL great Troy Polamalu on an appearance on Downs' podcast with his brother, Josh Downs (an Indianapolis Colt). Polamalu is one of the rarest talents ever to play in the league with his coverage range/instincts to make game-altering plays, paired with his tackling and blitzing abilities, to go with hit power.
One should take that comp with a grain of salt, of course, but Patricia has had tons of NFL experience, and he knows everything there is to know about what big-time defense is. And Patricia seemingly believes Downs has a very high ceiling as a pro.
Now, whether the Browns would value Downs' potential as being Polamalu-esque is unclear, and safety is not typically considered one of the A-lister type of position groups, particularly in the modern NFL. But, talent is talent, and Cleveland needs more of it.
So, perhaps what could very well be the next great safety in Downs gives this Cleveland defense, which has shown it has tons of difference-makers already, yet another boost. Having a dominant unit on that side of the ball could help steady the ship for Monken as he aims to give Cleveland's offense a lift.