Caleb Downs Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this week, Alabama Crimson Tide superstar safety Caleb Downs decided to enter the transfer portal following the departure of legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban. And it sounds like he already has a strong suitor – the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ohio State recruited Caleb Downs heavily out of high school and was at one point considered the favorite to land the five-star defensive back. With Downs now in the transfer portal, the Buckeyes are reportedly set to visit him on Thursday in an attempt to lure him to Ohio State.

“Ohio State is traveling down to Georgia on Thursday to make an in-home visit with Alabama transfer defensive back Caleb Downs, sources tell @On3sports. The No. 1 player in the transfer portal. Bulldogs are the other factor in his recruitment,” college football recruiting insider Pete Nakos of On3 said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.

As just a true freshman last season, Downs earned a starting role for Alabama and emerged as one of the top defensive backs in the entire country. With two seasons remaining until he is eligible for the NFL Draft, he is the single most highly-coveted player in the transfer portal currently.

While Ohio State is making a major push to land Downs, the Georgia Bulldogs are the other team in contention as Downs has a strong relationship with Georgia safeties coach Travaris Robinson.

It will certainly be interesting to see where Downs lands.

[Pete Nakos]