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

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 their 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.

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 United States 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 – 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 we would go to my aunt’s house, and my dad would race my uncle down the street and stuff like that as a kid. We were just 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 kid, Caleb didn’t necessarily understand what his grandfather meant when he said he was a “jumpmaster,” or a 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, which is what Caleb is grateful for heading into this pivotal moment of his career on the gridiron.

“I would just say through my dad. The way he led his family,” Caleb said when asked how his grandfather has impacted him on and off the field. “He raised his son to lead my family the way he did. I feel like the way you lead your family in terms of how you operate as a father, that’s been passed down to his son, my dad, and hopefully someday it’ll be passed down to myself and my family.”

As Caleb is eager to learn where his NFL journey will begin, he also gets to tap into his older brother, Josh, for advice about how to quickly acclimate.

“The biggest 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 I’ll have to get going pretty quick however this week ends up.”

And while it’s “exciting” for Caleb to watch his brother find success, he’s hoping to be a nuisance to Josh whenever they line up eventually on gameday in the NFL. Being on opposite sides of the ball can make for a great brotherly battle, and Caleb wants some redemption after the one time they played against each other in high school.

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“Oh, it’s definitely been thought about,” Caleb said when asked if he and Josh have talked about that moment when they’ll meet in the league. “I’ve played against him one time before in high school. I’ll have to get my get-back because he beat us pretty bad my freshman year of high school. They beat our team 42-3, so it wasn’t necessarily a really good game. But I made a couple plays, he made a couple plays. So, we’ll leave it at that.”

Caleb has had great men in his family to look up to, and they’ll all be behind him on this exciting leap to the NFL, where he’ll be sure to carry the advice, character traits and more that he’s taken from each of them with him along the way.

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Caleb’s partnership with USAA involved a special moment where he and his grandfather went to 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 quite impactful for Caleb.

“Being able to hear those stories when I was at the DAV with all the veterans, being able to learn from the wisdom they have, 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, for sure.’ And my grandpa was going to be so excited to be a part of it.

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“Being able to hear about their military background, and then try 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 life. I feel like that’s something that you can’t take for granted, just being around good people.”

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