FRISCO, Texas — Caleb Downs makes his NFL debut Sunday night at the New York Giants after an offseason of one-on-one film sessions with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who said Thursday they try to hold those meetings as often as possible.
Kickoff at MetLife Stadium is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC. Downs was the No. 11 overall pick in April. Sunday is also the first regular-season game Parker will call.
The meetings start with what a rookie does not know yet about the NFL, from rule changes to offensive ID information that does not exist in college football, Parker said.
“I think it’s two things,” Parker said. “Number one, he knows what I’m thinking, of course, what I expect from him on any given play. I think there’s always an educational process when you have a young player, kind of NFL 101, so to speak, in terms of just rule changes, offensive ID information that’s more exclusive to the NFL, that’s not exclusive to college football.
“So once you get past that, then it’s just the techniques and situations, the game plan mindset, when we’re thinking what and how he can maximize each call himself,” Parker continued. “He always comes in there prepared with questions of his own. There’s certain cut-ups I haven’t watched the night before, whatever the case might be. So they’re very productive. We try to have those as often as possible, and there’s several players like that, too.”
Dallas traded up one spot with the Miami Dolphins to take Downs, sending No. 12 and two fifth-round picks for No. 11. He signed a four-year, $28.95 million rookie contract May 1, D210 Sports reported.
Downs was the SEC Freshman of the Year at Alabama in 2023 before transferring to Ohio State. With the Buckeyes, he was a two-time first-team All-American. In 2025, he won the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott Trophy and was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Parker rotates through position groups for the same kind of meetings, from linebackers to safeties to the defensive line and edge rushers.
“It really just depends on the time,” Parker explained. “At times it’s been kind of linebacker-heavy, and sometimes it’s been more safety-heavy. At times it’s been more D-line-heavy, edge-heavy, kind of just cycle through, so those guys kind of hear me on a more intimate level.
“Sometimes it’s me going into their meeting room and kind of stealing five to 10 minutes that way,” Parker added. “Because I think the main thing is just a connection, and that we’re on the same page, that if I call something, they know what I’m expecting out of that call and what we’re hoping to accomplish with that call.”
Caleb Downs On Learning From Christian Parker
Other people’s input is how Downs expects to get better, and he said a player would be dumb not to take the counsel he can get.
“I crave teaching,” Downs said. “At the end of the day, that’s how you get better, and you’re not going to get better just by doing it yourself and not having other people have their input, and you’d be dumb not to take the counsel you can get. So he’s a voice, and he’s somebody that I can rely on to push me to have the better techniques and see the game from a different perspective.”
Parker has believed in him since the draft, according to Downs, and has been there for him.
“He’s been there for me,” Downs explained. “I appreciate him for believing in me. And I’m just trying to go out and do my job and do everything I can to allow him his success, too, as well. So we’re both tied together in that.”
Parker, 34, was hired Jan. 22 after two seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles’ passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. He coached defensive backs for the Denver Broncos from 2021 through 2023. Dallas allowed 511 points in 2025, the most in the NFL.
Some things will happen during the season that the staff has to correct with Downs, Parker said.
“I think he’s ready,” Parker said. “I think the main thing with any young players is getting them as many scars as possible in practice and walk-through in the meeting room without overloading them with information. So we’ve been pretty targeted and intentional with our approach on what we’re focusing on each day. There’s not going to be perfect during the season or each game. There can be some things that happen that we have to correct from that standpoint, too. But he’s more than willing. He’s confident, and he’ll be prepared.”
CeeDee Lamb On Caleb Downs’ First Months With The Cowboys
Downs has also spent the offseason going against receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in practice. Lamb and Downs started in the spring and have been battling ever since, Lamb said.
“He’s just getting confident within himself, as you can see,” Lamb said. “The first words that I told him when I saw him was, let’s work. I know what I expect of you, I know what I expect of myself, and I know what you expect of yourself. They got you in this position, we drafted you first round, and I know all the pressure that he’s feeling, I felt, and I have no doubt that he’s going to go out there and rock it.”
Lamb was the 17th overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2020 and is in his seventh season.
Downs’ father, Gary Downs, was a third-round pick of the Giants in 1994. His older brother, Josh Downs, plays receiver for the Indianapolis Colts and plays Sunday night next week, Downs said.
