Alabama Crimson Tide safety Caleb Downs will be arguably the top returning safety in the country next season after an absolutely dominant true freshman season with the team, but after the departure of head coach Nick Saban, it sounds like there is a chance he could enter the transfer portal.
According to a report from college football insider Tom Vanhaaren of ESPN, Caleb Downs is still deciding whether or not he will return to Alabama next season or pursue other options in the transfer portal.
“I was told that Alabama freshman Caleb Downs hasn’t made a decision on his future yet, if he’ll stay or transfer. He’d like to see who’s added to the Bama defensive staff, but very likely could make a decision either way tomorrow. Travaris Robinson staying at Georgia factors in,” VanHaaren wrote in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
I was told that Alabama freshman Caleb Downs hasn’t made a decision on his future yet, if he’ll stay or transfer.
He’d like to see who’s added to the Bama defensive staff, but very likely could make a decision either way tomorrow. Travaris Robinson staying at Georgia factors in.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) January 15, 2024
If Downs does enter the transfer portal, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs would likely be the two favorites to land him as the Buckeyes, Bulldogs, and Crimson Tide were the three finalists to land him out of high school.
Alabama tried to lure Georgia co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Travaris Robinson to Alabama as the team’s new defensive coordinator under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. This likely would have helped convince Downs to stay as Robinson was one of Downs’ coaches and recruiters at Alabama before leaving the Crimson Tide to join Georgia’s staff.
It will certainly be interesting to see what Downs chooses to do.
