After days of speculation, Caleb Downs has officially entered the transfer portal after Nick Saban announced that he would be retiring late last week. He was one of the top prospects in the class of 2023 and was subsequently the nation's best freshman last season.
Downs could make a homecoming and come play for the Georgia Bulldogs next season. If he makes that decision, the secondary in Athens would instantly be the best in college football.
"If they got Caleb Downs," Rusty started. "Potentially, you could have Malachi Starks, who is a five-star [recruit]; could have KJ Bolden, who is a five-star; and you could have Caleb Downs, who is a five-star."
That's just at the safety position where Starks was a First-Team All-American after starting every game in 2023 and Bolden was the third highest-rated player from Georgia during the 2024 cycle. The Bulldogs employ a three-safety look that would be ideal for these three players to make their impact felt without needing to rotate.
"[Downs] is a former number one player in the state of Georgia in the class of 2023, a Freshman All-American, an SEC Freshman of the Year. He's a super-freak, dominating player for the University of Alabama," Mansell continued. "I'm not saying he's going to Georgia, but I do think Georgia is a team to take seriously."
In his first season playing college football, Downs took the sport by storm. He quickly secured the starting position at Alabama and totaled 107 tackles (fourth in the SEC), forced a fumble, and intercepted two passes as a freshman.
According to Mansell, Downs' decision a prep student came down to Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State. He believes that his portal destination will be decided quickly and the addition of former Alabama secondary coach Travaris Robinson could be a major factor in this decision.