Ohio State Football: Buckeyes at NFL Combine who can boost draft stock

The start of the NFL Combine on Thursday will begin a weekend where 11 Ohio State football players have the chance to improve their stock for April’s Draft. 

A previous article of mine looked at the 11 former Ohio State football players competing at the NFL Combine, but here I’ll focus on which players will have the best opportunities to improve their draft stock at the combine.

But first, a look at two who definitely will be high draft picks.

Defensive end Chase Young is already practically in Sharpie in the No. 2 spot, and as he’s unlikely to even work out at the Combine. His draft stock will not be affected by skipping the workouts.

Cornerback Jeffrey Okudah is in a similar position as a projected Top 5 draft pick, but a solid performance could move him up to the No. 3 spot, right behind Young. Okudah will face interviews over the next few days before working out with the other defensive backs on Sunday.

Now for players who can really move up if they impress scouts and general managers.

Running back J.K. Dobbins is projected to be a late-first or early second-round pick, and a solid performance in workouts and team interviews could move Dobbins into a surefire first-rounder.

The difference in signing bonus money between the first and second round is gaping, so a move up into the first 32 picks would be big for Dobbins. Plus, being drafted late in the first round often means being on a better team than the early second-round selections.

Next, linebacker Malik Harrison and cornerback Damon Arnette are both projected to be drafted in the third round. Both Harrison and Arnette have a big opportunity to push themselves into the top two rounds with a great combine performance.

The difference between the second and third round isn’t as drastic as the gap between the first two rounds, but moving up in the draft is a goal for most (if not all) prospects going into the combine.

Wide receivers K.J. Hill and Binjimen Victor are in the group of late-round projections (along with safety Jordan Fuller, defensive linemen Davon Hamilton and Robert Landers and offensive lineman Jonah Jackson). Those players have the opportunity to impress and move from being late-round picks into the middle rounds and go to their new teams with more confidence.

However, being a late-round draft pick is still being drafted. Six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady could tell you that being a sixth-round pick doesn’t mean a career of wallowing on practice squads.

For wide receiver Austin Mack, who is projected to go undrafted, the combine will be his opportunity to prove to NFL scouts that he is worthy of being chosen, and can hold his own against NFL-caliber players.

By late Sunday evening, the final draft order will be nowhere near set in stone, but draft positions for the former Ohio State football players will be a little more clear. And hopefully, a little bit higher than expected in mock drafts put out prior to the NFL Combine.