The first round of the 2026 NFL draft is just two days away, and Ohio State is ready to make some serious noise this year with a wave of prospects destined for Sundays in the league. In mock drafts, Ohio State has players all over the place, finding new homes on NFL teams. The Buckeyes are set to likely have four players go in the top 10 picks on Thursday night, something that would be historic.
Beyond the top ten, though, Ohio State has plenty of other serious NFL talent. In ESPN’s latest mock draft by Jordan Reid, in which he predicted all 257 picks, OSU was everywhere.
Arvell Reese was the first Buckeye off the board, with Reid projecting the Jets to snag him with the 2nd overall selection.
2. New York Jets, Arvell Reese, LB/Edge, Ohio State
“The pick comes down to Reese vs. Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. I believe the Jets would prefer Reese’s upside even though Bailey is a more polished pass rusher right now. Reese is an interchangeable player with explosive power who has the ability to be a high-caliber starter at either linebacker or edge rusher. The Jets are in the early stages of their rebuild and searching for foundational players. Reese fits that vision, as he’s a defender they can build a scheme around.”
Sonny Styles came next, landing with the other team in East Rutherford, NJ: the New York Giants.
5. New York Giants, Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
“John Harbaugh teams have historically had a commanding presence at middle linebacker. There hasn’t been an off-ball linebacker drafted in the top five since 2019 (Devin White), but Styles is a rare linebacker prospect in a draft class that lacks true high-end options at high-leverage positions. Styles’ size, instincts, movement ability, and continued development make him an ideal fit in the middle of the Giants’ defense.”
Just one pick later, Carnell Tate found his NFL home. He’s staying in Ohio, headed down the road to join the Cleveland Browns.
6. Cleveland Browns, Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
“Wide receiver and offensive tackle are the two clear, major holes on Cleveland’s roster, and the Browns’ brass will have to determine which position has the most depth. That could have Cleveland going for a receiver first. Taking Tate would give the Browns a major target to add to veteran wideout Jerry Jeudy and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., last year’s third-round revelation. Tate is a diverse route runner with excellent hands who could be an immediate starter in new coach Todd Monken’s system.”
The top ten concluded with the New York Giants making it a Buckeye double dip, snagging Caleb Downs for their secondary.
10. New York Giants (from CIN), Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
“The Giants added another top-10 pick over the weekend in the Dexter Lawrence II trade, and they can use it to keep addressing the defense. It has been nearly a decade since a safety was picked in the top 10 (Jamal Adams, 2017), but Downs is fully worthy of breaking that streak. He is one of the smartest football players I’ve ever studied, and he has the versatility and sure tackling skills to complement that intelligence. He trusts his coverage instincts, allowing him to routinely make plays against the pass and in run support. Downs would be a perfect addition to John Harbaugh’s defense.”
Ohio State wasn’t done in the first round. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald went to Buffalo to close out the opening night.
26. Buffalo Bills, Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
“Having a nose tackle who’s willing to eat up blocks and do the dirty work in run defense is essential to defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 scheme. McDonald would fill that role as the best run-defending interior defensive lineman in this class. His 7.8% run stop rate last season topped all FBS defensive linemen, but he can also create negative plays in the backfield with quick wins, as evidenced by his 9.5 tackles for loss.”
The Buckeye train kept rolling from there, with more talent coming off the board throughout the remaining rounds. Here’s where the rest of Ohio State’s prospects landed in Reid’s mock:
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway on Thursday, April 23, at 7 p.m. CT from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rounds two and three take place on Friday, April 24, at 6 p.m. CT, while rounds four through seven begin on Saturday, April 25, at 11 a.m. CT. All rounds can be viewed on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: ESPN NFL mock draft sees Ohio State football with 10 names called
Reporting by Griffin Dreifaldt, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
