Dallas Cowboys

Caleb Downs has yet to play a snap in the NFL, but Adam Schefter is already envisioning the impact the Cowboys’ first-round pick could have on the team’s defense.

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Appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up” Thursday morning, the senior NFL insider said he thinks Downs “has the chance to have the type of impact on the Dallas defense in his rookie year that [Hall of Fame safety] Ronnie Lott did on the 49ers defense back in 1981.”

“This guy feels like he’s gonna have a dramatic impact on the Dallas defense this season.”@AdamSchefter has high expectations for Caleb Downs this season 💪 pic.twitter.com/6HfKH7CWWa

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 20, 2026

That year, Lott immediately helped transform the San Francisco defense and earned All-Pro honors as a rookie after being selected No. 8 overall. Now, 45 years later, Schefter sees a similar opportunity for Downs with the Cowboys.

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The 21-year-old safety arrives in Dallas after a stellar collegiate career. Downs earned a pair of All-American nods, as well as the 2025 Jim Thorpe Award as the country’s best defensive back. Downs also received the Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2025, adding another connection between the two defensive backs.

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If Downs can translate the playmaking and communication skills he displayed in college to the NFL, as Schefter believes he can, he could emerge as a cornerstone of the Cowboys’ defense for years to come.

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The Cowboys will open the 2026 regular season on September 13 against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.

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