.jpg)
1 hour ago
2
The Dallas Cowboys received high praise from ESPN analyst Chase Daniel following their 2026 NFL Draft, particularly for their selection of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall. Daniel has played 14 seasons in the NFL across six teams including the Saints, Chiefs and Bears, and his opinion surely carries weight.
During a recent ESPN NFL Live conversation with Booger McFarland, the former NFL quarterback gave the Cowboys' draft an A-plus grade, calling Downs himself worth the top rating and a game-changer for Dak Prescott.
Despite finishing with a disappointing 7-9-1 record last season, the Cowboys actually had elite quarterback play from Prescott, who threw for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. Bleacher Report ranked Prescott fifth among all NFL quarterbacks and noted he played the best of any quarterback on a losing team.
Prescott was the primary reason Dallas managed to win seven games despite fielding one of the league's worst defenses. No matter how well he played, the defense kept letting games slip away. That's what makes Downs such a game-changer for Prescott specifically. For the first time in years, Dallas addressed their biggest weakness with premium talent giving their franchise quarterback the defensive support he needed.
Caleb Downs is exactly what Dak Prescott needed
What separates Downs from other safeties is his positional versatility and football intelligence. The Cowboys traded up one spot with Miami giving up two fifth-round picks to secure him, a move Daniel believes was a steal.
In his Instagram post breaking down the draft, Daniel wrote: "And Caleb Downs changes everything. Love everything they did in this draft."
Daniel explained on ESPN NFL Live that Downs isn't limited to one role. "He plays safety, but he can play three types of safeties," Daniel said. "He can play down in the box, hit you in the run. He can play back in center field and play free safety. He can also play in the slot."
What really impressed Daniel was Downs' mental processing. "He's got really, really good ball skills," Daniel noted. "His pre-snap diagnosis is exceptional."
Daniel's message was direct: "All I wanted them to do was draft defense, and that's exactly what they did because that's the help they needed."
That football IQ comes from elite coaching. Downs played for Nick Saban at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State, where he helped the Buckeyes win the 2024 national championship while learning from former NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. Few rookies enter the league with that level of professional-caliber instruction.
Dallas also landed UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23 after trading down with Philadelphia. Daniel made his support clear: "I'm a huge fan, Boog, of Malachi Lawrence. I don't understand the hesitation with him."
The Cowboys had an inside track on evaluating him through assistant defensive line coach Demeitre Brim, who worked at UCF in 2025 before joining Dallas's staff.
English (US)