The Tennessee Titans are in the crucial, early stages of a complete franchise rebuild. With a roster filled with holes, general manager Mike Borgonzi is forced to look to the NFL Draft to find building blocks for his team. He has his quarterback in place, but the Titans are still missing players at key positions like edge rusher and wide receiver.
Still, sometimes a prospect is just too good to pass up. The Titans will be picking early in the draft once again, with the opportunity to take one of the top receivers or pass rushers in the class.
But if Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is on the board, they might ditch conventional wisdom in favor of one of the most exciting defensive back prospects in recent history.
Titans could flip the script in the 2026 NFL Draft by taking Caleb Downs
Traditionally, players at certain positions get drafted first in the NFL. Teams look for quarterbacks, offensive tackles, defensive linemen, and receivers first, leaving the other positions for later rounds. These "premium" positions are seen as the building blocks of a competitive football team.
Safety is certainly lower on the totem pole in terms of positional value. Most teams shy away from drafting a safety in the top ten, even if there is an incredibly talented prospect at the position. Kyle Hamilton, for example, was seen by many scouts as one of the top players in the 2022 NFL Draft. He still fell all the way to the 14th pick, where the Baltimore Ravens scooped him up. Hamilton, of course, has become an All-Pro caliber player in the NFL, but the league still hasn't warmed up to the idea of taking a safety in the top ten.
Downs could be the player to change that philosophy. He entered this year as one of the top prospects in the country, and while his stock has dipped slightly, he still stands out in a relatively weak draft class.
The Ohio State product is incredibly athletic, but he wins with his brain more than he does with his body. Downs reads offenses like a ten-year NFL vet, consistently putting himself in positions to disrupt plays. He holds up in coverage and can trigger down on runs and short passes as quickly as any safety prospect in this class. His versatility hints at shades of Hamilton, as he can make an impact from multiple alignments.
It would certainly be a risk to spend a top-five pick on a safety, especially when the Titans still have needs at so many other positions. Safety isn't even a glaring need for this team. Amani Hooker will still be around next season, and Kevin Winston Jr. played well this season before his injury. But prospects of this caliber don't come around often. If Downs is available when the Titans are on the clock, they should at least consider bringing him to Tennessee.