For Cowboys rookie Caleb Downs, opener vs. Giants offers opportunity for extra motivation
· Yahoo Sports
FRISCO — Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was nervous. The Cowboys had already watched nine picks go by in the NFL draft and Caleb Downs — a perfect fit for Christian Parker’s defense — was still on the board. There was one more hurdle, however. The New York Giants had already selected Downs' Ohio State teammate Arvell Reese. Would they pair him with another Buckeyes star?
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The words of Giants head coach John Harbaugh came to Schottenheimer’s mind as they waited to see what New York would do. Harbaugh had called Downs a potential Hall of Fame safety — a gold-jacket-caliber player that they wouldn’t mind selecting with the first of their two top-10 picks. Surely they would consider Downs at 10, then, right?
“I knew how much he thought of him,” Schottenheimer said. “They got a great player, but we were surprised.”
Now, instead of playing for the Giants, Downs will play against them in his NFL debut when the Cowboys open the season against New York on Sunday Night Football. There’s already a lot of excitement for Downs about getting the chance to live his NFL dream. Considering the Giants' interest and their decision to pass on him not once, but twice, is there also some added motivation?
Downs downplayed the notion when asked Thursday.
“I’m just trying to win on Sunday,” Downs said. “That’s about it.”
Downs has impressed the Cowboys with his professionalism since he was drafted. Quarterback Dak Prescott said in minicamp it was already apparent that Downs wasn’t acting like a rookie. Future Hall of Famer Von Miller — a Cowboy for only a few weeks now — even said on a podcast recently that he voted for Downs for team captain.
“I need to go ask him why he did that,” Downs said with a laugh.
Regardless, it speaks to Downs being beyond his years. He’s shown it in interviews, too. He’s been close to the vest; his answer about extra motivation against the Giants served as an example. The answer also doesn’t align with how he was feeling immediately on draft night. In a behind-the-scenes video posted on DAZN of draft night, Downs made note of the small draft fall that resulted in him going to the Cowboys with the 11th overall pick.
“All those teams that passed on me,” Downs said, before pausing.
Instead of finishing the statement, he let out an excited — and possibly motivated — grunt. Schottenheimer even insinuated some extra motivation when he said on NFL Network on the final day of the draft that Downs told him, “I’m making mental notes” about the Giants and the Washington Commanders passing on him.
As Schottenheimer pointed out this week, there were other teams that passed on Downs, too. Six teams went with offensive players, including the Giants, who selected Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick. That left Downs available for the Cowboys to trade up from No. 12 to No. 11 with the Miami Dolphins to secure a prize they weren’t sure would still be there.
There might’ve been another world where Downs did end up on the Giants. There appeared to be interest. Downs recalled talking to people with the Giants who had a hand in selecting his father, Gary, in the third round of the 1994 draft. Downs was asked if there were any memories his Dad told him about his time with the Giants.
“When he got cut,” Downs joked.
Downs was then asked if that was worth any extra motivation.
“Honestly I can’t think of any of that right now,” Downs said after he discussed talking with the Giants in the pre-draft process.
It makes for an interesting storyline now and moving forward, however. There’s still a lot of time for post-draft evaluation. The draft grades that matter are determined years after the draft is completed, not hours. We’ll know eventually whether the Giants made the right or wrong decision — or even somewhere in between — by passing on Downs twice.
But as of now, the Cowboys are happy the Giants didn’t select Downs. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, a common opponent of Downs during training camp, can attest. Lamb recalled the first thing he told Downs when the Cowboys picked him. Lamb told him that he knew the expectations Downs had for himself and the expectations the Cowboys had for their prized first-round pick. He told him he could relate, being a former first-round pick with high expectations himself.
“I have no doubt that he’s going to go out there and rock it,” Lamb said.
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