The NFL Combine is a place where the rumor mill starts spinning at full speed. Over the next two months leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, fans will stay busy speculating which players the Pittsburgh Steelers could target in the first round. The team's latest formal meeting is baffling.
On Wednesday, the eve of the start of weigh-ins, testing, and on-field drills, the Steelers officially began formally meeting with players. Perhaps the most notable name Pittsburgh's brass met with early at the NFL Combine is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Nick Farabaugh of PennLive reported that the Steelers had a formal visit with Downs at the Combine. The stellar defensive back is widely regarded as one of the best overall prospects set to hit April's draft.
Because of his high-profile status, Downs is expected to be off the draft board long before the Steelers are on the clock with the No. 21 overall pick in the NFL Draft. '
So why would the Steelers use one of their 45 formal visits on the Ohio State safety?
The Pittsburgh Steelers express optimistic interest in Ohio State DB Caleb Downs with a formal meeting
We know that the NFL Draft can be full of surprises, and while it's not impossible that Downs is still on the board when the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock, it's highly unlikely. Omar Khan and the front office likely know this, but they might just be doing their homework anyway.
Some draft analysts have labeled Downs as a generational safety prospect. The Ohio State star is a heat-seeking missile who has strung together three straight years of outstanding performances for the Buckeyes. He's a crushing tackler with rare closing speed and excels running in stride with tight ends and receivers in coverage.
Quite frankly, Downs is the type of player who would force the Steelers to scrap their draft plans. Who wouldn't like a player like Downs on their roster?
As a result of his dominance, Downs is considered a consensus top-five player in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, considering that he's a safety, some teams could prioritize 'money five' positions in the draft, which could cause Downs to see a bit of a slide.
Don't get me wrong; Downs isn't falling to pick 21. But in the rare event that he slips outside of the top 10, could the Steelers trade up? This isn't out of the question. They made a similar trade-up in the first round for a safety back in 2003. Their selection, Troy Polamalu, went on to have a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.
Even with 12 draft picks this year, trading up for a safety feels unlikely, and there are numerous options the Steelers are more likely to go after in Round 1. Positions like wide receiver, cornerback, and quarterback are expected to be bigger priorities for Pittsburgh.
The reality is that this bizarre formal meeting with Downs could simply be to get to know the player better in case he becomes available via trade or free agency somewhere down the line. In recent years, we saw the Steelers pursue free agents and trades for players who were once highly-touted prospects in the NFL Draft, like Patrick Peterson, DK Metcalf, and Jalen Ramsey.
In other words, formally meeting with a sure-fire top-10 pick like Caleb Downs is more due diligence than anything else for Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's overly optimistic to expect Downs to be in play at pick 21.