Ohio State could make NFL Draft history this year. The Buckeyes might see four players selected in the top ten picks for the first time ever.
Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Carnell Tate and Caleb Downs all project as early first-round selections according to multiple draft analysts.
Even if history isn’t made in the top ten, Ohio State could still place five players in the first round. Seven Buckeyes might hear their names called in the first three rounds alone.
Draft experts disagree on exactly where each player will land. This analysis includes projections from Mel Kiper, Field Yates, Jordan Reid and Matt Miller at ESPN. Chad Reuter covers the draft for NFL.com, while Mike Renner handles CBS Sports’ mock drafts.
Walter Cherepinsky from Walter Football also contributed projections. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler provides scouting takeaways for each prospect.
Top Ohio State Prospects
Arvell Reese – LB
The linebacker posted 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 14 games this season. He added 10 tackles for loss and two pass breakups.
Reese finished his career with 112 tackles, 7 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss across 36 games.
Reese has the dynamic talent to play a variety of different linebacker or edge roles at a high level, although his ceiling as a pass rusher is his most valuable asset. It’s hard to find versatile defenders with his caliber of explosive tools.
That’s Brugler’s assessment from The Athletic’s draft guide.
Sonny Styles – LB
Styles led the team with 82 tackles this season. He recorded 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and three pass breakups in 14 games.
His four-year career totals include 244 tackles, 9 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one.
Styles is an outstanding size-speed athlete who’s comfortable in space, reacts well to what he sees and plays with the physicality to mark up the stat sheet. With elite subpackage value, he has the talent to become an impact linebacker early in his NFL career.
Carnell Tate – WR
The receiver caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games. He missed three games due to injury but still posted strong numbers.
Tate finishes his college career with 121 receptions, 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns across 39 games.
Tate is a long, technically proficient receiver who can win at all three levels using high-level tracking and adjustment skills and catching radius. He projects as an immediate NFL starting Z receiver with Pro Bowl upside.
Caleb Downs – S
The safety transferred from Alabama and made an immediate impact. He recorded 68 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in 14 games.
His college career includes 257 tackles, 6 interceptions and 12 pass breakups over 44 games.
Downs sees the field like it’s a chess board and plays with an exceptional combination of intelligence, urgency and toughness, allowing him to be disruptive from anywhere on the field. His intangibles and on-field versatility will make him an impactful NFL starter early in his career.
Brugler compared Downs’ field vision to a chess master in The Athletic’s scouting report.
Kayden McDonald – DT
The defensive tackle recorded 65 tackles and 3 sacks in 14 games. He added 9 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.
McDonald played 34 games in his college career with 85 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.
McDonald will require time to develop a pass-rush identity, but his dominant run-game qualities will make him immediately useful from different interior alignments. He projects as an early-down rookie, with a role that should continue to expand.
Max Klare – TE
The tight end caught 43 passes for 448 yards and 2 touchdowns in 14 games. He served as a reliable target in the passing game.
Klare finishes with 116 receptions, 1,329 yards and 6 touchdowns over 33 games.
Klare has a low ceiling as a blocker and needs to continue adding refinement as a route runner, but his combination of athleticism, toughness and ball skills gives him a modern-day skill set. He projects as an F tight end, similar in ways to Dalton Kincaid.
Davison Igbinosun – CB
The cornerback recorded 53 tackles, 2 interceptions and 8 pass breakups in 14 games. He started every game for the Buckeyes.
His four-year career includes 194 tackles, 4 interceptions and 27 pass breakups across 56 games.
Igbinosun is a long, lanky cornerback with the speed and competitive edge that NFL coaches covet in press-man schemes. If he can trade his grabby tendencies for better trust in his technique, he has a multi-contract NFL career ahead of him.
Expert Mock Draft Projections
The mock draft results show wide variation among analysts:
| Name | Pos | ESPN | NFL | CBS | Walter FB |
| Arvell Reese | LB | 2-Jets | 2-Jets | 3-Cardinals | 2-Jets |
| Sonny Styles | LB | 8-Saints | 12-Cowboys | 7-Commanders | 5-Giants |
| Carnell Tate | WR | 11-Dolphins | 14-Ravens | 8-Saints | 6-Browns |
| Caleb Downs | S | 7-Commanders | 7-Commanders | 10-Bengals | 10-Bengals |
| Kayden McDonald | DT | 28-Texans | 25-Bears | 40-Chiefs | 27-49ers |
| Max Klare | TE | 90-Dolphins | 100-Jaguars | 79-Falcons | 74-Chiefs |
| Davison Igbinosun | CB | 79-Falcons | 39-Browns | 73-Saints |
Reese appears likely to go second overall to the New York Jets in most projections. Three of four analysts have him landing there.
Styles shows the most variation, ranging from fifth to the Giants to 12th to the Cowboys.
Tate could go anywhere from sixth to 14th according to these projections. The wide range reflects disagreement about his NFL readiness.
Downs consistently projects between seventh and tenth overall. Most analysts view him as a top-ten lock.
The later-round prospects show even more variation. McDonald ranges from late first round to early second round.
Klare and Igbinosun project as mid-to-late round selections with significant disagreement among evaluators.
The NFL Draft takes place April 24-26 in Detroit. Ohio State could make history with its first-round haul.
