The Dallas Cowboys may have pulled off one of the biggest steals of the draft by landing safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall. But according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, it was far from a sure thing.
During a recent appearance on the Twins Take Podcast, Schottenheimer opened up about the anxiety inside the Cowboys' war room as they watched Downs tumble down the board. The team had him at the top of their wishlist, and they were terrified he wouldn't make it to them.
A Trade That Fell Through
Schottenheimer revealed that Dallas had a deal in place with the Kansas City Chiefs to move up in the draft order. The idea was to leapfrog any team that might snatch Downs before they could get him. But those plans unraveled when the Chiefs made an early move from No. 9 to No. 6 to select cornerback Mansoor Delane.
“We actually had a deal in place, we had a trade in place with Kansas City that we were hoping to be able to make a move for,” the coach explained. “Well, they moved up early in the draft and so we were kind of like, OK, we’ve lost that opportunity. But the draft is the unknown.”
With that avenue closed, the Cowboys were left to sweat it out. Downs sat on the board at No. 9 and No. 10, and the Giants were on the clock at No. 10. Dak Prescott has set the playoffs as a baseline for the team, so adding a player like Downs felt critical.
Holding Their Breath
The Giants had a strong interest in Downs, according to Schottenheimer, who noted that New York head coach Jim Harbaugh had called him a “generational safety.” When the Giants passed, the Cowboys wasted no time. They worked the phones with Miami to secure the No. 11 pick and make the selection official.
“We could have sat and waited,” Schottenheimer said. “But we were concerned someone might move ahead of us at 12. We knew everyone was interested in Caleb.”
The move paid off, but it wasn't without drama. George Pickens has committed to a Super Bowl push with the Cowboys, and adding a player of Downs' caliber only strengthens that goal.
A Can't-Miss Prospect
Downs is the kind of prospect that rarely falls outside the top 10. After winning SEC Freshman of the Year at Alabama in 2023, he transferred to Ohio State and became a two-time first-team All-American and Thorpe Award winner. He also helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship.
For a Dallas defense in need of a playmaker and a leader, Downs could be the answer. The Cowboys have struggled with consistency on that side of the ball, and the rookie safety brings both instincts and a winning pedigree. Off the field, the Cowboys brand continues to thrive, but it's moves like this that keep the team competitive.
Schottenheimer's candid admission reveals just how close the Cowboys came to missing out on their top target. In the end, a bit of luck and quick thinking landed them a player who could anchor their secondary for years to come.
