ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter said Thursday that Dallas Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs has the potential to transform the team’s defense in a manner similar to how Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott elevated the San Francisco 49ers more than four decades ago.

“This guy feels like he’s gonna have a dramatic impact on the Dallas defense this season,” Schefter said during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up.”

Schefter drew a direct parallel between Downs and Lott, who was selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft. At the time, San Francisco’s defense ranked 26th in the league. The following season, with Lott and other young defensive backs contributing significantly, the 49ers won the Super Bowl.

“In 1981, the San Francisco 49ers selected Ronnie Lott in the 1st round of the NFL Draft,” Schefter said. “So that was 45 years ago, and it transformed the 26th-rated defense in the NFL, and 1 year later, they were Super Bowl champions,” Schefter said.

“Now, 45 years later, it feels like the Cowboys are doing the same thing (with Downs). He’s a transformative player who should not have slipped to where he did in the draft, a player who is smart and who is heady and who can organize a defense and make plays. I think Caleb Downs could have the same type of impact on the Dallas defense that Ronnie Lott did on the 49ers 45 years ago.”

Downs, a 6-foot, 206-pound safety out of Ohio State, was selected by the Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after Dallas traded up one spot from No. 12, surrendering two fifth-round selections to the Miami Dolphins. The Georgia native spent his freshman season at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State following Nick Saban’s retirement.

In three college seasons, Downs recorded 257 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and six interceptions across 44 games. He earned unanimous All-American honors in both 2024 and 2025, won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back in 2025, and claimed the Lott IMPACT Trophy that same year. He also helped Ohio State win the College Football Playoff national championship in 2024 and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.

The Cowboys entered the offseason determined to overhaul a defense that ranked among the league’s worst in 2025. Dallas allowed 377 yards per game, third-most in the NFL, and surrendered a league-high 511 points while finishing last against the pass and 23rd against the run. The team finished 7-9-1 and missed the playoffs.

New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has emphasized versatility for Downs, who has worked extensively at nickel cornerback in addition to safety during offseason workouts and training camp. Coaches have praised his football intelligence, work ethic and ability to communicate and organize the secondary.

“He’s a worker. He looks for coaching. He craves that. He wants to be corrected. He wants more information,” Parker said earlier this summer.

Schefter noted that people around the Ohio State program were unsurprised by Downs’ rapid impact in Dallas.

“The Cowboys feel like they got a steal with the 11th overall pick. Caleb Downs was rumored to be going higher. When you speak to the people in and around Columbus, they say none of this is a surprise to us,” he said. “He’s one of Nick Saban’s favorites.”

In Lott’s rookie season, he recorded seven interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns, and finished as runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Lott went on to win four Super Bowls, earn 10 Pro Bowl selections and eight All-Pro honors during a 14-year career.

Downs made his preseason debut in limited action against the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month and is expected to play a significant role when the regular season begins. The Cowboys open against the New York Giants on Sept. 13.

Whether Downs can deliver the kind of immediate transformation Schefter envisions remains to be seen. Yet the early reviews from camp and the lofty comparisons suggest Dallas believes it found a foundational piece for its defensive rebuild.

The 21-year-old has already drawn additional high-profile praise, with some scouts likening aspects of his game to former Baltimore Ravens star Ed Reed or current Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton for his ability to line up all over the field.

For a Cowboys franchise that has long prioritized defense as the path back to contention, Schefter’s assessment underscores the high stakes and high hopes surrounding one of the most decorated defensive backs to enter the league in recent years.