OXNARD, California – The second day of Dallas Cowboys training camp saw an uptick in intensity, with both the offense and defense making noticeable strides.
One of the standouts is rookie safety Caleb Downs, the team’s first selection in this summer’s draft.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer praised Downs as a fast learner who never makes the same mistake twice.
The Alabama and Ohio State product is already in the mix for the green-dot communicator role on defense, a job typically reserved for veterans because of the communication demands.
“That’s something I’ve done at every level is communicate at a high level,” Downs said. “That’s what I think makes me special. Just being able to understand everything and articulate everything. It’s something that if that’s on my plate, I’ll do it at the highest level.”
Downs’ background in multiple elite college systems helped the transition. He played under Kevin Steele and Nick Saban at Alabama, then Jim Knowles and Matt Patricia at Ohio State.
“I have a lot of defensive knowledge and I feel like that allows me to play fast out here,” Downs said.
He already flashed on the field, recovering a fumble on day one.
Facing one of the NFL’s better offenses every day has been uncomfortable at times, but Downs welcomes it.
“That’s a blessing for me,” Downs said. “I thank God for the position that he put me in and the ability for me to challenge myself against the best. I think that’s a that’s a big positive for my development, where I want to be. In terms of our team, that pushes our defense to be better every day. Then that pushes the offense because we’re going to make a plays and make them better.”
The Cowboys’ first-round investment is processing the playbook quickly and competing for real defensive snaps and leadership responsibilities right away.
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