Caleb Downs thanks his Army veteran grandfather before the NFL draft

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

Downs’ father, Gary Downs, was a running back 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 final game in 2000.

Then there’s his oldest son, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, the 24-year-old who’s had a strong start to his young career after being selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of UNC. Additionally, former NFL cornerback Dré Bly, who spent 11 years in the league, is Downs’ uncle.

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So, as Caleb Downs prepares to most likely hear his name called in the first round Thursday night, PK Press Club Digital asked about his family’s impact, especially as he looks for a smooth transition to the pros. But even though his father and brother have an NFL pedigree, Caleb pointed to the family patriarch, Gary Downs Sr., a 23-year U.S. Army veteran, as the one who set the tone since he was a child.

“I feel like everything my grandfather instilled in us — consistency, discipline, hard work and everything else — that’s why we’re here today,” he said, while also discussing his partnership with USAA, the official “Salute to Service” partner of the NFL.

“I remember times when we would go to my aunt’s house, and my dad would race my uncle down the street and stuff like that when I was a kid. We were always very competitive as kids, and those memories are instilled in me, and I feel like that’s one of the reasons I’m here today.”

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As a child, Caleb didn’t necessarily understand what his grandfather meant when he said he was a “jumpmaster,” or paratrooper responsible for the safety and training of airborne operations, but he learned more as he grew into the man and football player he is today.

Downs Sr. retired from the Army on July 1, 1998, but his mentality never changed with his children and grandchildren, and that’s what Caleb is grateful for as he approached this pivotal moment in his career on the field.

“I would just say through my father. The way he led his family,” Caleb said when asked what impact his grandfather had on him on and off the field. “He raised his son to lead my family the way he did. I feel like the way you run your family as a father was passed down to his son, my father, and I hope that one day that will be passed down to myself and my family.”

Caleb Downs of the Ohio State Buckeyes participates in drills during the 2026 Ohio State Pro Day at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus, Ohio on March 25, 2026. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

As Caleb is eager to find out where his NFL journey will begin, he can also turn to his older brother, Josh, for advice on how to get acclimated quickly.

“The most important thing he told me was find your routine, find your habits,” Caleb revealed. “Those are the things that are going to make the biggest difference. Those are the things that I’m going to have to do pretty quickly, however this week ends.”

And while it’s “exciting” for Caleb to see his brother succeed, he hopes to be a nuisance to Josh every time they line up on an NFL game day. Being on opposite sides of the ball can make for a big brotherly battle, and Caleb wants some redemption after the one time they clashed in high school.

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“Oh, we definitely thought about it,” Caleb said when asked if he and Josh had talked about this time when they would meet in the championship. “I already played against him once in high school. I’m going to have to make up for it because he beat us pretty badly my freshman year of high school. They beat our team 42-3, so it wasn’t necessarily a very good game. But I made a few plays, he made a few plays. So, we’ll leave it at that.”

Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts warms up before an NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on December 22, 2025. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Caleb has had great men in his family to look up to, and they will all be behind him in this exciting jump to the NFL, where he will be sure to take with him the advice, character traits and more that he has learned from each of them along the way.

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Caleb’s partnership with USAA involved a special moment where he and his grandfather visited the Disabled American Veterans Chapter in Columbus, Georgia, to hear from some of those who served their country just as Downs Sr. did.

The experience was very impactful for Caleb.

“Being able to hear those stories when I was at DAV with all the veterans, being able to learn from their wisdom, it was awesome,” he explained. “I appreciate USAA for allowing me to have this partnership with them. When they told me they were the official “Salute to Service” [partner] of the NFL, I was like, “Oh, sure. “And my grandfather was going to be so excited to be a part of it.

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“Being able to hear about their military backgrounds and then trying to relate it to what I’m going through right now, it was great to hear the wisdom and be around people who have done great things in their lives. I feel like that’s something you can’t take for granted, just being around good people.”