I think we are officially entering the 2026 NFL season even though the kickoff game is weeks away.
A day ago, senior NFL analyst Kevin Clark praised quarterback Dak Prescott by saying the 32-year-old QB is “most unappreciated”. And after those statements, the NFL world was buzzing with fresh debate on the Dallas Cowboys QB’s reputation in the league (even though former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho challenged Clark’s opinion on Prescott’s reputation).
And today, Prescott hyped the Cowboys fans a bit with Super Bowl remarks in the latest interview while also making his feelings clear on the Cowboys’ first overall draft pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Caleb Downs.
“All the great things he’s done, the way that he approaches the game, his mentality and all of that, it’s what you want,” the 11-year Cowboys QB said when asked about Downs. “But at the end of the day, it’s about putting on the pads and go making plays. We couldn’t have asked for a better rookie, a man to step in.”
He continued saying, “And understand really just the responsibility that’s kind of not necessarily on his shoulders, but that a new defense is trying to create and trying to create an identity, and how much of a big part he’s going to play in it.”
Lastly, Prescott said, “He’s just done everything right. It makes me think back to my rookie year, and it’s more of just keeping your mouth quiet, earning respect from the other people and just making sure you’re doing the right things and Caleb has done all of that plus. That’s why we’ve been so welcoming. He makes it easy to welcome, but we’re super excited for the fall and to watch him make plays and get the ball back to me.”
The Dallas front office has picked Downs for a reason as the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. This is the guy who helped win the Ohio State Buckeyes their first national championship in the past 10 years in 2024. Before playing two seasons and winning one championship for Ohio State University, Downs was playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2022. But seriously, what made a national sensation such as Dak Prescott speak about Downs with so much respect and love?
Caleb Downs: Hope for the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in the 2026
We all know that as a safety, Downs made a total of 68 tackles and also one sack in 2024 before making 81 and 107 tackles in the 2023 and 2022 college football seasons, respectively. And this is the most important asset the Cowboys have, which Prescott specifically spoke about while addressing Caleb Downs’ question.
He will be the defensive weapon for the Cowboys, who performed terribly in the 2025 season. They ranked 30th in defense, allowing an average of 377 yards and allowing a whopping 59 touchdowns. The Cowboys were only better than the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Commanders.
That is why Caleb Downs’ arrival is exciting. Let’s see what the 21-year-old would do in the 2026 season. But the actual teaser would be available in the training camps. All the eyes in the camp will be on Downs for sure.
