The NFL schedule makers might have just delivered one of the most intriguing storylines of the 2025 season. When the Dallas Cowboys travel to face the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football in Week 1, all eyes will be on one rookie: Caleb Downs.
If Downs enters his first professional season with a chip on his shoulder—and he has every right to—he gets his first chance to prove the doubters wrong immediately. The Giants passed on him not once, but twice, at picks No. 5 and No. 10 in the NFL Draft. That kind of snub doesn't go unnoticed in a league where bulletin board material is gold.
Dallas will face four teams that chose other players over Downs this season, but the Giants are the only ones who had two cracks at him and swung and missed. New York had needs all over their roster, so their draft strategy was always going to be unpredictable. But when they selected Arvell Reese at No. 5—a move that caught many draft analysts off guard—the door cracked open for Downs to land in Big Blue territory with their second pick. It didn't happen.
The drama didn't end there. The night before the draft, Josh Downs, Caleb's brother and a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, confidently predicted his sibling would be heading to New York. Even Malik Nabers, the Giants' star wideout, publicly campaigned for Downs to join him. When Dallas traded up to snag Downs at No. 11, Nabers' reaction said it all: "I'd rather get him than play against him… I gotta play against this thing again… bro he's good. He's very good, he's VERY good."
Instead, the Giants used the No. 10 pick on Francis Mauigoa to bolster their offensive line—a position group that has historically been a minefield for the franchise outside of Andrew Thomas. For Giants fans watching Downs land in Dallas, it was a moment that still stings. Do yourself a favor and check out their reaction videos online. They're worth every second.
This season opener isn't just another NFC East clash. It's a showdown fueled by missed opportunities, draft-day drama, and a rookie ready to remind nine teams exactly what they passed up. Get your popcorn ready.