Caleb Downs credits Army veteran grandfather for helping shape his path to the NFL ahead of draft

Ohio State HC Ryan Day joins Colin Cowherd to discuss coaching Ohio State, Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate’s NFL potential, and how NIL has impacted the College Football world.

Ohio State standout safety Caleb Downs is set to become the third member of his family to enter the NFL, and he’s very likely to be the first to hear his name called on day one of the NFL Draft.

Downs’ father, Gary Downs, was a running back that the New York Giants took in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft out of NC State. He ended up playing six years in the league, two years with New York, three with the Atlanta Falcons and one year with the Denver Broncos, before playing his last game in 2000.

Then, there’s his eldest son, Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs, the 24-year-old who has enjoyed a solid start to his young career after being taken in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of UNC. Also, ex-NFL cornerback Dré Bly, who spent 11 years in the league, is Downs' uncle.

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Caleb Downs of the Ohio State Buckeyes before the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Miami Hurricanes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 31, 2025. (CFP/Getty Images)

So, as Caleb Downs prepares to very likely hear his name called in the first round on Thursday night, Fox News Digital asked about his family’s impact, especially as he looks for a seamless transition into the pros. But while his father and brother have the NFL pedigree, Caleb pointed to the patriarch of the family, 23-year U.S. Army veteran Gary Downs Sr., as the one who set the tone since he was a kid.

"I feel like everything my grandfather instilled in us – consistency, discipline, hard work and everything like that –