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Ohio State Football: A look at Urban Meyer’s Top 10 NFL draft picks

By Steven Koesterman

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 07: Fox Sports analyst Urban Meyer at the Big Ten Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Wisconsin Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 07: Fox Sports analyst Urban Meyer at the Big Ten Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Wisconsin Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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The highly anticipated 2020 NFL Draft is almost upon us. There are three former Ohio State football players who are projected to be top picks. When Joe Burrow, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah are taken in the top 10, this will total 12 Top 10 NFL Draft picks over Urban Meyer’s career as a head coach.

Throughout Coach Meyer’s head coaching career, he has coached and developed some of the top NFL talent the league has seen during that time.

While at Utah, Coach Meyer produced two Top 10 picks. Jordan Gross, Utah offensive tackle, started Coach Meyer’s success of producing top NFL talent. Drafted No. 8 overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2003 NFL Draft, Gross went on to have an 11-year All-Pro career.

When Coach Meyer left Utah to become the head coach of the Florida Gators, his former Utah QB Alex Smith was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Smith has had an illustrious NFL career with the 49ers, Chiefs and currently with the Washington Redskins.

At Florida, coach Meyer produced  two top 10 draft picks in Joe Haden and Derrick Harvey. The latter was drafted No. 8 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 3x Pro Bowler CB Haden was selected No. 7 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft.

After producing four Top 10 draft picks at Utah and Florida combined, coach Meyer was only getting started. The 2016 NFL Draft was historic for the Buckeyes with three players taken in the top 10. Joey Bosa was taken No. 3 overall by the San Diego Chargers. Ezekiel Elliott was taken No. 4 overall by the Dallas Cowboys and with the No. 10 pick the New York Giants drafted Eli Apple.

Denzel Ward was the No. 4 pick by the Browns in 2018 and Nick Bosa  is the most recent Urban Meyer product to be selected in the top 10 when the 49ers drafted him at the No. 2 spot last year.

While enjoying retirement, coach Meyer will add three more top 10 picks when the 2020 NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 23rd. Chase Young and Jeff Okudah are projected to be drafted No. 2 and No. 3 overall, respectively, by the Washington Redskins and the Detroit Lions. Don’t forget about Joe Burrow though, he was recruited by coach Meyer and played three years for Ohio State before becoming a Heisman Trophy winner at LSU.

Burrow will be the first pick in this year’s draft.

Coach Meyer’s nine Top 10 NFL Draft Picks have combined for 16 Pro Bowls, two NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors and three All-Pros. Chase Young and Jeff Okudah will almost certainly make their mark in the NFL as well. They both will compete for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award with chances of making the Pro-Bowl as long as they can stay healthy.

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Check out Urban Meyer’s players drafted in the Top 10: 

  • No. 1: Alex Smith QB Utah, Joe Burrow QB LSU
  • No. 2: Nick Bosa DE Ohio State, Chase Young DE Ohio State
  • No. 3: Joey Bosa DE Ohio State, Jeff Okudah CB Ohio State
  • No. 4: Ezekiel Elliott RB Ohio State, Denzel Ward CB Ohio State
  • No. 5: None
  • No. 6: None
  • No. 7: Joe Haden CB Florida
  • No. 8: Jordan Gross OT Utah, Derrick Harvey DE Florida
  • No. 9: None
  • No. 10: Eli Apple CB Ohio State

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Tune in to the NFL Draft to watch the Buckeyes continue their dominance producing NFL talent.

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