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    Caleb Downs and Nick Saban. - Source: Imagn
    Caleb Downs and Nick Saban. - Source: Imagn
    Caleb Downs and Nick Saban. - Source: Imagn
    Caleb Downs and Nick Saban. - Source: Imagn

    “I Wanted To Go There To Learn From Him”: Caleb Downs Reveals Nick Saban’s Role in Alabama Exit

    Caleb Downs has begun a new chapter in his career after being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL draft a couple of months ago, but he clearly hasn’t forgotten his past.

    Downs was the 11th pick of the draft, with the Cowboys offering him a lucrative four-year deal worth $28.95 million. This was arguably the biggest moment in the safety’s career and came on the back of a very strong season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Downs proved to be invaluable to Ryan Day and his coaching staff as they chased the national championship.

    However, it’s his time before the Buckeyes that is generating interest, with Downs asked why he chose to leave an Alabama program steeped in history with Nick Saban in charge.

    “It was really when he (Nick Saban) retired, I was like, ‘I don’t necessarily know why I came here’ because at the end of the day I wanted to go there to learn from him,” Downs said on the “St. Brown Podcast”.

    “It pretty much just turned back into high school recruiting, and then Ohio State was my second school.”

    Downs spent one season at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State.

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    Does Caleb Downs Consider Himself More of a Buckeye Now?

    With two prestigious college programs under his belt, Caleb Downs was asked a natural question about identity in the interview. Ohio State fans will be glad to know he considers himself a Buckeye more than he does a part of the Crimson Tide, despite his admiration for Nick Saban.

    “I’m a Buckeye,” said Downs. “I claim Coach Saban as my coach, but I’m a Buckeye.”

    Downs is now preparing to set the NFL on fire as the Cowboys set their sights on the top once again.

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