Alabama FA recruit: Five-star DB Caleb Downs commits to Crimson Tide over Georgia, Notre Dame

The super-rich continue to get richer in the world of college football recruitment, with Alabama getting yet another five-star opportunity. Caleb DownsCrimson Tide, a five-star safety, picked it up live on CBS Sports HQ on Wednesday over a handful of finalists including Georgia, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Ohio State.

Downs, a 6-foot-high, 185-pounder from Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia, ranks No. 13 overall and the highest safety rank in the country, according to 247Sports. He has 186 tackles, six tackles for a loss, one sack, 33 break-up passes and 14 interceptions in three high school seasons.

Andrew Ivins, Southeast Employment Analyst at 247Sports, provided this exploratory report on Downs:

The type of lead that ticks all the right boxes. Always looking to be one step ahead of others. Athletic enough to cross the court and wipe out the drop, but also physical enough to go down the hill and meet the running back in gap A or B. Smooth and controlled while in reverse while keeping his eyes on the background. Quick trigger. He grows cleats and pushes into football better than most of his age. He takes right angles during the chase and has a few tricks to get rid of blocks once he meets traffic. He has experience working through a variety of different coverages and has shown that he can be fairly effective as a slot player in certain situations.

Downs becomes the 15th player to commit to Crimson Tide in the current hiring cycle. Vaults coach Nick Saban has pledged him from No. 9 to No. 5 in the 247Sports team’s recruiting rankings.