Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker is one of the best safeties in the game. Cardinals fans know that. He is a unique player.
One high-ranking 2026 NFL draft prospect is getting compared to Baker.
ESPN’s Matt Miller has 12 prospects with true first-round grades. One is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Advertisement
Miller’s player comp for Downs is Baker.
If you could create the ideal safety prospect, it would look like Downs. The 6-foot, 206-pounder is an elite open-field tackler with the closing speed to run down ball carriers and dominate angles in space. Downs can do it all, often lining up in multiple assignments depending on where the defense needs him. His four interceptions the past two seasons speak to his ball skills but also to the fact that offenses avoid him.
One rival offensive coach told me that they identify Downs on pre-snaps over a linebacker or key pass rusher — he’s that impactful. Safeties are rarely drafted in the top five, but Downs should not be overlooked. He could have a role like Baker or Kyle Hamilton immediately as a rookie starter.
Baker is smaller than Downs at 5-10 and 195 pounds, compared to Downs at 6 feet and 206 pounds. And it appears that Downs has better ball skills than Baker, whose biggest criticism coming out of college was the lack of interceptions. Baker has one pick over the last three years.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Ohio State S Caleb Downs compared to Budda Baker