It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that, once again, the Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day have churned out yet another elite class of NFL Draft prospects.
As this year's draft rapidly approaches, more and more mock drafts have been released by experts across the nation. When ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released his latest one, it caught everyone's attention (as per usual).
Kiper's mock draft really caught the attention of Buckeye fans and haters alike, as he quite literally filled the first round to the brim with former Ohio State stars.
Caleb Downs isn't the only top-10 Buckeye in Mel Kiper Jr's Mock Draft
Unsurprisingly, Caleb Downs is expected to be the first Buckeye off the board, possibly becoming the first safety to be called as the No. 2 overall since Eric Turner in 1991. While Downs is undeniably the most exciting player out of Ohio State, he isn't the only one Kiper included in the first 10 picks.
- Caleb Downs - Pick No. 2, New York Jets
- Arvell Reese - Pick No. 4, Tennessee Titans
- Carnell Tate - Pick No. 6, Cleveland Browns
- Sonny Styles - Pick No. 7, Washington Commanders
Kiper included four (yes, 4) former Buckeyes in the first 10 picks of his latest mock draft, with a fifth Buckeye included in the first round: Kayden McDonald going 25th overall to the Chicago Bears.
No other team comes close to these numbers in Kiper's mock draft, not even the Indiana Hoosiers, who only have quarterback Fernando Mendoza going in the first round and are the defending National Champions.
The Miami Hurricanes, who lost to Indiana in the National Championship, have the second-most first-rounders with three picks, according to Kiper.
Just last year, the Buckeyes had 14 players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, tying the program's record for the most picks in a single draft. One year earlier, Ohio State all four of its picks get drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Last season, there were 20 former Buckeyes active on 53-man rosters across the NFL and 57 total players when you include those on injured reserve and practice squads. Ohio State only trailed Alabama and tied Georgia for the most former players in the league.
Ohio State, once again, is expected to flood the NFL Draft, and it is yet another reason why Day is doing everything right in Columbus.