Ohio State Football: 3 not obvious players who could leave early for NFL

Josh Proctor was lost after the second game of the season. He suffered a gruesome leg injury against Oregon and was out for the season afterward. He isn’t projected as a top prospect, but the reason I have him on this list is because he still may opt for the NFL after that injury.

That injury could have shown him that he needs to leave as soon as he can so he can make money in case he gets hurt again. He needs that money while he can still produce as a prospect. He may not be a top pick in the Draft, but he may not care.

If Proctor were to come back, he could prove his worth. He had a rough 2020, as the entire secondary did. The Buckeyes really missed him when he went out this season though. Safety was not a position the Buckeyes were deep in. Proctor could show his worth in 2022.

Proctor could also leave early and decide to be happy with being a sixth or seventh-round pick. He may just want to try to get some money and work his way onto a roster and improve enough in training camp to make the team. We don’t know what his priorities are.

Personally, I think it’s better that Proctor come back one more year and try to drive his stock higher. His ceiling is probably about a third-rounder, but that makes you a lot more money than a sixth or seventh-rounder.

The final player on this list is actually much more likely to leave for the Draft than stay one more year at Ohio State.