FRISCO, Texas – It's been more than 20 years since Darren Woodson donned a Cowboys uniform, so his days of watching film are long gone. But the legendary safety doesn't have to live in the film room to know the Cowboys just landed another great safety.
"I think Caleb Downs is a phenomenal pick," Woodson said following Thursday night's selection. "I'm not going to sit here and say I watch a ton of film. I don't. That's not my world anymore. Real estate is my world. But I've watched enough, and I've heard enough people talk about how special of a player he is. And it's normally coming from the likes of defensive coordinators or head coaches—very well-respected people. That's a good barometer for me to go off of. I've watched him play at Ohio State, and he's a phenomenal player. So I'm really happy with the pick."
How happy? Woodson took to his X (formerly Twitter) account immediately after the selection and offered a simple message: "Yessir."
Woodson, a five-time Pro Bowler who played on three Super Bowl–winning teams in the 1990s and is a Ring of Honor member, has been on the doorstep of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recent years, finishing as a finalist four straight times. While Woodson should eventually make it to Canton, he's already considered one of the greatest safeties in team history—if not the best—alongside Hall of Famer Cliff Harris.
But after the drafting of Downs on Thursday night, it was only natural for Woodson to be linked to the rookie safety, even before he's stepped onto an NFL field. What does the 13-year veteran think of being compared to a player who hasn't taken a snap?
"I'm honored, man. Honestly, I really am," Woodson said as a guest on Cowboys StoryLine. "I'm honored by that because it shows the value that I brought to the team back in those days, and we won three Super Bowl championships."
One reason Woodson believes he should already be in the Hall of Fame—and one of the reasons he eventually expects to get there—is the versatility he brought to the defense. A converted linebacker, Woodson played both free and strong safety and could also cover the slot. That kind of versatility is still rare in today's game.
"I was probably before my time as far as having the versatility to cover the slot, come down to the line of scrimmage and make tackles, run down on special teams, and play linebacker," Woodson said. "I was probably ahead of my time. In today's world, I'd be valued that much more because of that versatility. Back then, the position wasn't valued the same way it is today. But I'm ecstatic when I see guys come into the league who can do multiple things."
Not just multiple things—but also "the little things," which Woodson said have been missing from the Cowboys' defense in recent years. He's talking about aspects that go far beyond tackling and making plays on the ball.
"I'll be honest: half the battle I saw last year on the defense—really the last couple of years—was just getting lined up," Woodson said. "Getting lined up properly has been a challenge for this defense. And I think it speaks volumes when you say, 'Okay, I want to fix that problem.' Who's the quarterback of the defense? Okay, here he is.
"(Downs) is a guy who likes to study. He loves the game. He's going to show up every day. He's going to be in the offseason program. He's going to be an extension of the head coach or defensive coordinator when he's out on the field. That's the guy we need.
"Now, am I expecting him to be the greatest tackler, the best cover guy, or the best interceptor—the biggest takeaway guy? No, I'm not expecting that. But I am expecting the little things, because the little things mean so much. He studies. He does all those things. He leads. He jumps on guys when they don't do the right thing. He holds himself accountable. That's the guy they need for that defense."
Just the way Woodson was for his defense.
