Caleb Downs Puts Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes on Notice Ahead of NFL Draft
Ohio State has multiple players set to become first-round draft picks on Thursday night, with edge rusher Arvell Reese, wide receiver Carnell Tate, and safety Caleb Downs getting invites to attend the big event.
Reese should be off the board first, followed by Tate. However, many mock drafts project that Downs won’t be hanging around too much longer beyond the top 10, as teams want to add his athleticism and skills to their defensive rosters.
Ahead of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, he appeared on a live video chat with Kay Adams for “Up and Adams with Kay Adams.” She immediately mentioned she’s a good “matchmaker” and spoke about having previously matched a defensive prospect with the player he wanted to intercept in the NFL.
“Three years ago, it was Brian Branch about who he wanted to pick off in the NFL. He said Mahomes. I’ve done this a lot,” Adams said of her ability to put that energy into the universe for players.
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According to Adams, Branch had a pick-six on Mahomes in his very first game as a rookie. That occurred back on Sep. 7, 2023, when Branch, a member of the Lions’ defense, recorded a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown off Mahomes.
Downs said he recalled that interception, and Adams asked him which quarterback he’s looking forward to intercepting when he joins the league. The Ohio State star had to contemplate it for a moment before arriving at his answer.
“Thinking of who I know personally. That was the first place my mind went,” he joked, before saying, “I’m gonna say Mahomes just because of the career that he’s had and how legendary he’s been. I always wanna compete against the best.”
Mahomes is certainly right up there, even coming off a rough NFL season in which he suffered a brutal season-ending injury amid the Kansas City Chiefs‘ struggles. After losing Mahomes for the remaining games of their season, Kansas City failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2014.
The Chiefs’ quarterback has since had surgery and begun his grueling rehabilitation with the expectation he should be ready for the start of the upcoming season, and at worst by Week 3. Meanwhile, Downs may have provided a safe answer by going with Mahomes.
A recent ESPN mock draft suggests that Downs could go No. 9 to the Chiefs, meaning he’d have his opportunities to pick off Mahomes as a teammate, but only during practice and scrimmage sessions.
There’s also speculation that Kansas City could move up in the draft order via trade and take Downs’ teammate Arvell Reese much earlier, so stay tuned to see which move the Chiefs make.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 4:38 PM.