It's becoming clearer that Caleb Downs is not just your average rookie, but while we await to see if he's going to get preseason reps, his time in training camp just got more...physical, to say the least.
It was a run play where the blockers were looking to create a hole for Javonte Williams to run through. Oh, he ran through it, but Bobby Belt from 105.3 The Fan caught a slow-mo video of Downs and DeMarvion Overshown getting rocked by Brevyn Spann-Ford and Tyler Smith.
Downs and Overshown got rocked in the hole by Tyler Smith and Spann-Ford... pic.twitter.com/vUmfI3clMv
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) August 7, 2026
Caleb Downs got his own 'Welcome to the NFL' moment on a huge collision
It had to happen at some point, right? We've all seen it at some point or another, and it's only a matter of time until he sees it in a real NFL game. All-Pro guard Tyler Smith gets the block on Downs, and next thing you know, boom!
We're not going to be watching Dak Prescott in the preseason, but it's hits like this that could make Schottenheimer pull the plug on Downs playing some regular preseason snaps.
Considering he is a rookie, I don't think he's going to get the full Prescott treatment and will sit out to avoid injury, but he will get preseason snaps that won't hurt his health too much. It would be pretty rare to see your first rookie selection not get any preseason reps, and Schotty should find a way to make it work without worrying about his health.
Downs has not been afraid to go in the trenches to disrupt the run, cover CeeDee Lamb downfield, or mix it up with his teammates.
The All-American kid from Ohio State got into it with tight end Spann-Ford on a play where both guys were blocking each other, and the rookie didn't hold back at all against the 6-foot-6, 260-pound big man. It's nice to see this kind of fight already, and he's saying he won't be manhandled just because he's a rookie.
The video from Belt also shows how the Cowboys are looking to do anything and everything with Caleb Downs. In fact, the Cowboys have already used him on special teams. One of his duties was a personal protector for Bryan Anger, and another was catching punts. He did catch a few punts at Ohio State, and even returned one for a score.
It's still early, but he's looking like the magic piece that's going to single-handedly turn this team around to new heights.
It was a tough hit the rookie endured, but he can take it.
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