There are very few people in the history of the NFL who can relate to the position safety Caleb Downs finds himself in after the Dallas Cowboys selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL draft.
In the moments after the Cowboys essentially pinned their hopes and dreams for the future of their defense on Downs, he managed to touch base with 1 of those few people — former Cowboys edge rusher and Green Bay Packer superstar Micah Parsons.
“Bro, the 1st thing I’m gonna tell you is that being a 1st round pick is a different kind of pressure … it’s a pressure of its own,” Parsons told Downs. “Remember that you’re not there to learn from anybody, you’re not there to back anybody up. You’re there to start and be the guy. You are the guy.”
There was a certain amount of awkwardness to the whole moment only because Parsons was talking to Downs as part of Bleacher Report’s live coverage of the NFL draft, and sitting next to New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers — a player Downs is being brought in specifically to try and stop.
Micah Parsons in Midst of Hall of Fame Career
The trade of Parsons to the Green Bay Packers shortly before the start of the 2025 season is one of the great blockbuster trades in NFL history. It also seems to be the catalyzing moment that led to Downs winding up in Dallas.
“Jerry Jones tried his damndest to insinuate the Cowboys getting Caleb Downs was the result of the Micah Parsons traded,” Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. wrote on his official X account. “He was actually right. Lawrence was acquired as result of the Packers pick. But the Cowboys got the 12th pick because they were so bad after after the Parsons trade. They used that pick to get Downs. Good planning. God’s timing.”
Parsons was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Cowboys and is 1 of just 2 players in NFL history to have at least 12.0 sacks in each of their 1st 5 NFL seasons, alongside the late Reggie White.
Cowboys Receive High Praise for Drafting Downs
The Cowboys traded up 1 spot to draft Downs and received almost universal praise for doing so, including receiving a rare “A+” grade from The Athletic for the pick.
In just 3 seasons of college football, Downs was a 3-time All-American and arguably the most dominant player in the nation each season after spending his true freshman year at Alabama, then playing for Ohio State the last 2 years, including a College Football Playoff National Championship following the 2024 season.
“Pound for pound, Downs is the best player in the draft,” The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman wrote. “Now, he’s also the 2026 draft’s best value in the draft. For Dallas, Downs marries need with best player available — it’s not just a win-win, but a win-win-win. He can cover most receivers, he’s a sure tackler, and he returns punts when needed (see his 92-yard touchdown return against Indiana in 2024).”
Micah Parsons Sends Cowboys’ 1st Round Pick Heartfelt Message