The Cleveland Browns had a very good defense entering last season. It got even better after the team drafted two players, defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger, in the first two rounds. They added to an already solid squad that included defensive end superstar Myles Garrett, veteran cornerback Denzel Ward, and safety Grant Delpit.
So with that elite group, would the Browns consider drafting another defensive player as their first pick in this year’s draft at No. 6 overall.
There has been a lot of speculation on what Cleveland needs in this draft. Most of those needs seem to be on the offensive side of the ball. The team’s offensive line has major gaps, and the team has lacked pass catchers who have consistently stretched the field. Because of this, the team has failed to score points. The team only averaged scoring about 16 points a game last season, which ranked them almost dead last in the NFL.
Despite these glaring holes on the offensive side of the ball, there is one player in the draft that could strengthen the Browns defense even more. That generational talent is safety Caleb Downs of Ohio State.
Downs is expected to be selected somewhere in the the first round, potentially even in the top five. He plays a defensive position that typically doesn’t get drafted that high. The last safety drafted in the top 10 was Jamal Adams in 2017, who was drafted by the New York Jets at No. 6 out of LSU.
Browns could shock everyone by taking Caleb Downs at No. 6
So why take Downs at No. 6 when the Browns already have veteran Delpit back at safety? Delpit is going to be 28 years old when the season starts, and he’ll be a free agent in 2027. The Browns need to be prepared for the future, and bringing in a talent like Downs, who’s 21 years old, makes sense.
Downs is not just a standard safety who sits back in back of the defense monitoring all and keeping everything in front of him. With the defensive schemes the Browns have played in seasons past, and with these concepts of zone and man coverages likely to continue with the new defensive coordinator (yet to be determined), Down’s flexibility can be used to the team’s advantage.
"Caleb Downs is No. 1 on my board. He's one of the few guys that I think you could do that, even though the pressing need on offense is there."
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) February 12, 2026
🚨 @LanceReisland with @NickWilsonSays and @RuiterWrongFAN on the #Browns No. 6 pick 🏈 https://t.co/ah0sDFSw83 pic.twitter.com/yjUeek7QHv
The closing speed that Downs has shown against teams is very impressive. In man-to-man coverage, he can break on routes of the opponent even sooner than the opponent can. He has the ability to come down to the line of scrimmage and play both the pass and run. When you watch tape on Downs, you see him recognizing plays developing in front of him and anticipating so well.
The collegiate star, who played for Alabama in 2023 and Ohio State in these last two seasons, finished with 257 combined tackles, 16 tackles for losses, six interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
We are still two months from the NFL Draft, and there will be plenty of conversation as to who the Browns draft. The NFL combine will begin in a week, and that, along with what the Browns do in the free agency market, will also have a bearing on the Cleveland draft selections.
While the Browns are talking about the needs of the team being mostly on the offensive side of the ball, don’t be surprised if the team takes Downs at No. 6. Sometimes, when a player so talented is there for the taking, you just have to bypass the needs the team has to take the best player on the board, and Downs is that guy.