INDIANAPOLIS − Jaylen Key sensed that safety Caleb Downs was special as early as last summer.

Key was a senior safety when the five-star Downs arrived at Alabama. By preseason camp, his hunch turned into belief.

“We were in Cover 2 and he made an incredible play,” Key said at the NFL scouting combine. “It was definitely un-freshman-like.”

Downs became the Football Writers Association of America's national Freshman of the Year before transferring to Ohio State after Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban retired in January.

Key said Downs is mature beyond his years.

“His preparation, the way he took care of his body week in and week out, the way he went in the playbook and made sure he knew what to do on Saturdays, it was completely different from any freshman I've ever seen,” Key said.

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Downs had 107 tackles and led the Crimson Tide in snaps, an extremely rare feat for a program as stacked in talent as Alabama was under Saban.

“He's definitely a twitchy player that's going to trigger on things before a lot of guys even see it,” Key said. “He's able to come down in the run fit pretty fast. He'll cover. He's not afraid of anything. As a freshman, that definitely blew me away. As a true freshman? Extraordinary.

“He plays very physical. He comes downhill and when he makes contact, there's going to be a pop. He makes plays all over the field.”

Alabama and Ohio State aren't exactly rivals, given the infrequency with which they've played. But they are among the elite programs in the country, so there's not much affection between the programs.

Asked if it'd be difficult to root for Downs as a Buckeye, Key smiled.

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“It won't be hard,” he said. “For me to root for the (Ohio State) team, definitely. But for Caleb, that's my that's my brother for life. Wherever he is, I'm rooting for him. He should be a top-five pick in a couple of years.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here's how Caleb Downs' Alabama teammate gushed about the new Buckeye