Tommy: By having a noticeable impact on the defense when he’s on the field. I know, you really can’t get more broad than that, but I’m not going to say he needs to be a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro in his rookie season. He doesn’t have to be. Would it be nice? Sure, but there are enough veterans on this defense to be able to help out around him as he gets his rookie season underway.
Usually with defensive backs, the less you hear their name being called, the better the game they’re having. You certainly want that to be the case with Downs, but you also want to hear his name over the plays that everyone saw he can make while on the field at Ohio State. That’s what I mean by having a noticeable impact on the defense, and you’re welcome to define that however you want in your own personal expectations for Downs.
Downs’ ceiling in this defense with Christian Parker is sky high. It seems like the two are almost replicas of one another when it comes to how they view and approach the game of football. I feel that’ll play a big part on Downs’ success early in his career. Will it be evident in Week 1? Maybe, maybe not, but Downs lives up to his first year expectations by being a plus player for this defense, because it’s a unit in need of a lot of plus players.
Patrik: Living up to the status of being a first-round pick will always be a challenge, and especially if a team traded up in the top-15 to make sure they acquired you. Such is the case for Downs, but I don’t believe he’ll have much of an issue living up to his draft status, even if it takes a couple years. I won’t apply undue pressure in claiming he’ll somehow instantly be an All-Pro defensive back in Year 1, but I believe you’ll see plenty of flashes of that in his game. Downs feels different, in every way, in the last several weeks I’ve had to study his work ethic and demeanor.
He’s already, almost instantly, become a locker room leader and that’s a large part of what he’ll be accountable for, so go ahead and check that box. What happens on the field will tell the full tale of what he can be in a Cowboys’ uniform, though. Do I expect Downs to be one of the MVPs of training camp, as a rookie? Yes, I actually do. I can easily see him making a list of plays that drop a few jaws, and his passion in-between the lines will be on full display as well. So, how does he live up to the mountain of expectations? By not staring at the mountain, and instead keep his eyes on the playbook and the next play — the rest will handle itself.