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Safety Caleb Downs #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes was the Cowboys first draft pick this year.

No one was all that happy to see new Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs take the field over the weekend for the first time at The Star and, after spending his whole high school and collegiate career at Alabama and Ohio State in jersey No. 2, running around on the field wearing No. 18. Downs was as closely identified with No. 2 in college football over the past few seasons as anyone, so the hope was that he’d be wearing the number in his rookie camp debut.

Downs was asked about keeping No. 18 going forward, and it was clear that it wasn’t his preference. “We’re gonna see what happens,” Downs said. “That’s the only thing I’m going to say about that.”

Now, word comes that Downs has, indeed, had something else to say about his uniform number, though it is probably not the news most expected to hear. Per the Cowboys website, “Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs is now currently set to wear #13, according to the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop.”

Caleb Downs Still Not Getting No. 2

So, it is still not No.2, which was claimed by free-agent signing Cobie Durant after he came over from the Rams. The expectation might have been that if Downs thought he would work out a deal with Durant that he would get the No. 2, he would have just waited until that time, then changed his number. But by going for No. 13 now, that seems to indicate that Durant and Downs did not make a deal and perhaps Downs will stick with 13 going forward.

Downs will get No. 13 after it was originally claimed by new backup quarterback Sam Howell, who is now slated to wear No. 16. That number, again according to the team website, had belonged to UDFA rookie Jordan Hudson, but Hudson will instead complete the circle by taking Downs’ old No. 18.

This is all subject to change, and in the end, it would be nice for Downs to land the No. 2. In fact, “The Love of the Star” podcast host this week said he is ending every episode of the show by saying, “The Cobie Durant stuff and the jersey No. 2. We are on a Cobie Durant ‘Drop the Deuce’ campaign. Hand that deuce to Caleb Downs. Cobie Durant, do the right thing.”

Cowboys Coaches Impressed Already

That’s an easy notion to get behind, with due respect to Durant. But in truth, no matter what number Downs wears for the Cowboys, what will matter most is how his skill set lines up with what Dallas needs and how he is being used by new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

In that regard, Downs left an impression, according to Bleacher Report’s James Palmer.

Said Palmer during a livestream this week: “The Cowboys, blown away very early on, I’m told, by Caleb Downs. Brian Schottenehimer just getting a chance to watch him move on the field, just how he operates, how quickly his lower half can move and get into position to make tackles—right foot-right shoulder, left foot-left shoulder, however it is, the guy just never misses tackles. Already can understand, an elite, elite intelligence.

“Didn’t line up against any receivers or tight ends or anything like that. Just kind of getting himself acclimated in a weird No. 18 jersey. But very quickly the Cowboys brass was seeing him on the field going, ‘Yeah, this might be the steal of the draft for us.’”