It's safe to say the Dallas Cowboys veterans were impressed by the first-round rookie.
Caleb Downs made a major first impression on the Dallas Cowboys' roster, and we're just past rookie minicamp.
Not only is the former Ohio State star expected to fill a major gap in the Cowboys' secondary this season, but his rare football IQ, especially for someone at this stage of their career, makes him eligible to be a leader of the entire defense very soon.
As the No. 11 overall draft pick has gotten acclimated in his new home and begun working out with his teammates, the unique traits that labeled him a potentially generational talent were glaring.
"He's a worker for sure," said Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to the team website. "He wants to get better every day. His film speaks for itself. I feel like he came in already with the media talking about he's a first-rounder and they're expecting a lot from him. He just kind of disregarded it, just coming in working every day hard. Just want to help do whatever to help the team [get] better."
Overshown, who was absent at the beginning of last season due to injury, is also expected to return for a Week 1 boost. As a whole, the Cowboys' opening-day defense is night and day compared to where it was last season. That's thanks in part to Pro Bowl tackle Quinnen Williams and high-priced free agent safety Jalen Thompson, as well.
Those pieces come together to represent the present, but Downs' arrival is more than that. He's the cornerstone of the program's future under new hot-shot coordinator Christian Parker.
Why is that, aside from the youth? Because Dak Prescott can recognize what makes him special.
"I love that way that's he wired and I'm excited for him," Prescott said. "He's got some great vets, whether it be myself to ask questions to or great vets on that defensive side now to help make sure that he gets off to a great start."
The fact that Prescott can already get a sense of Downs' cognitive recognition of the game is a major sign of the rookie's potential. Especially at a versatile position where X's and O's are crucial to surveying the entire defensive alignment and opposing offense.
But for all the mental gifts Downs has over his counterparts, he still needs to execute physically. Parker has already recognized how his tackling is fundamental and reliable, and that will play a major factor in this secondary turning the corner.
"Obviously, we needed help," Prescott said about the attention put on defense this offseason. "We went into that side, everybody knowing that's what we were going to do starting with the staff and did that, to then just adding as many players as we can whether it be veterans in free agent signings or in the draft.
"I think we did a hell of a job. Just being around these guys for two weeks, looks like they're a lot of high character guys."
About Downs specifically, Overshown's confidence is growing.
"He's here to help us win," he said about the rookie. "He's here to ball out. And so I'm excited. When you've got those types of players on your team, you always got a chance on Sundays."
