The Ohio State football program usually has at least one first round pick in every NFL Draft. No college football program has more first round picks in the history of the draft than they do. They added three more during the 2025 NFL Draft a couple of months ago.
Even before the 2025 season starts, ESPN has already put out a way too early early mock draft. They put out a first-round mock draft for every team in the league. While the Buckeyes have plenty of great players, they only have one player that they believe will be in the first round.
According to ESPN, one player on the 2025 roster stands above the rest. That is safety Caleb Downs. They think he's good enough to be a top five pick next year. In their first mock draft, they have Downs going fifth overall to the New Orleans Saints.
ESPN has Ohio State football player Caleb Downs being drafted fifth overall by the Saints
Downs is certainly talented enough to be a top five pick. He's probably the best defensive player in the country. The question is whether or not a team believes that it's smart to draft a safety that high. Positional value is certainly a thing at the professional level.
If the Ohio State Buckeyes go out and win another national championship, Downs could go even higher. He's one of the best players in all of college football, no matter what position he plays. He has shown the ability to return punts at an elite level, too so it's not just his defensive skill that makes him so valuable.
The Buckeyes are certainly glad that he's on their roster. He's going to be one of the best players on the field in every game that he plays this season, just as he was last year.