Caleb Downs Named Big Ten Defensive Back Of The Year

Ohio State sophomore safety Caleb Downs started award season by winning the Tatum-Woodson Award given to the Big Ten’s best defensive back on Tuesday.

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 to Caleb Downs, the 2024 Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year! #B1GFootball x @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/4dZ4Z17yVS

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 3, 2024

After a slightly slow start to his season, Downs became not just one of the Buckeyes’ best defensive players, but one of the best in the country.

Downs finished the season with 61 total tackles, the third most on the team, 6.5 tackles for loss, tied for the second-most on the team, .5 sacks, three pass breakups and an interception.

Downs a transfer from Alabama, made the All-SEC first team and SEC freshman of the year in his one year with the Crimson Tide. Downs will now add both the Tatum-Woodson award to his laundry list of awards in his career along with a selection to the All Big-Ten First-Team.

Downs is also a finalist for the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s best defender, and the Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best defensive back.

The Hoschton, Ga. native joins Shaun Wade as the only Buckeyes to be named the Tatum-Woodson Award winners.

Both of those awards will be announced on Dec. 12 during ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards show.