The traded up Thursday night, sending two fifth-round picks to Miami to land Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall. It cost a little, but based on what one rival said hours later, the NFL may already agree they got their guy. Even rivals can't pretend the Cowboys didn't just find their cornerstone wide receiver Malik Nabers faced Downs in college and was asked about the pick on Thursday. Nabers said he would rather have Downs on his team than face him again in the NFC East. 2026 NFL DRAFT HQ: | | Id D'onta Foreman Jersey rather get him than play against him I gotta play against this thing again bro hes good. Hes very good, hes VERY good. Wow: Giants star WR Malik Nabers reacts to the Dallas drafting Caleb Downs tonight. Id rather get him than play against himI gotta play against this thing againbro hes good. Hes very good, hes VERY good. Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) Downs arrives as the top safety in this draft cla s. He won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2025, made two-time All-American, and helped his program win a national championship in 2024. There was no bigger trophy left in college football for him to collect. Three seasons split between Alabama and Ohio State produced 257 tackles, six interceptions and 12 pa s breakups. He will become the fourth member of his family to play in the NFL. His older brother, Josh Downs, is a receiver for the . Jerry Jones told reporters the Cowboys would not risk watching another team jump them for a player they valued that highly, so they paid to make sure of it. NFC East offenses now see Downs twice a year. Nabers plays for the Giants, which means two of those dates belong to him personally. More NFL news: Vincent Gray Jersey