Ohio State did not pretend Caleb Downs could be replaced. When the program’s most impactful defensive player departed for the NFL Draft, the Buckeyes pivoted toward a different solution altogether, one built on depth, versatility, and experience rather than chasing a one-for-one replacement.
The result is a safety room that looks different than it did a year ago, but one that may be better equipped to survive the grind of a national title chase.
Downs’ absence leaves a clear void. His range, instincts,
and ability to erase mistakes allowed Ohio State to play aggressively elsewhere on defense. One player was never going to replicate that. So rather than chasing a single star, the Buckeyes attacked the portal with intent, targeting veteran defensive backs who could stabilize the back end and expand Matt Patricia’s options.
That approach led to two key additions who, together along with Jaylen Mcclain, form the backbone of a retooled secondary.
Earl Little Jr. arrives from Florida State with proven production and a defined role. A Second-Team All-ACC selection, Little brings physicality and coverage ability, but perhaps more importantly, flexibility.
While he played safety at Florida State, Ohio State views him as a nickel defender, effectively filling the role vacated by Lorenzo Styles Jr. His ability to handle slot receivers, support the run, and blitz off the edge gives the Buckeyes a chess piece they can move around based on matchup.
That positional clarity matters. It allows Ohio State to replace Styles’ snaps without reshuffling the entire secondary and gives Patricia freedom to deploy different safety combinations behind him.
Terry Moore may be the more intriguing upside play. The Duke transfer was an All-ACC safety before an injury cut short his most recent season, and prior to that setback, he was generating legitimate NFL Draft buzz. Moore is a true safety in every sense, rangy, physical, and comfortable playing deep or rolling into the box.
If healthy, he provides Ohio State with something it sorely lacked at times behind Downs last year, a veteran communicator who can align the defense and clean up mistakes before they become explosives.
What ties these additions together is not star power, but age and experience. Both Little and Moore will be fifth-year players, and that is by design. Ohio State fans have spent this postseason watching older, portal heavy teams like Indiana and others play poised, mistake free football in high leverage moments.
The Buckeyes are clearly responding. Rather than leaning exclusively on young talent, they are supplementing it with players who have seen complex offenses, played meaningful snaps, and understand the weekly demands of winning at the highest level.
The safety room may no longer revolve around one transcendent talent, but it doesn’t need to. With Little anchoring the nickel, Moore patrolling the back end, and returning pieces like Jaylen Mcclain filling in around them, Ohio State has rebuilt the position group in a way that prioritizes reliability and adaptability.
Caleb Downs is gone, and his impact will be missed. But the Buckeyes have reloaded intelligently, betting that experience, health, and depth can collectively carry what one superstar once did alone.
