Ohio State saw 11 Buckeyes selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, including four players in the first 11 picks of the annual selection event. Over the past two drafts, Ohio State has had a total of 25 players selected, and now it can claim 99 first-round draft picks, which is the most of any college football program. It’s obvious that head coach Ryan Day runs the Ohio State football program like an NFL franchise, which is what makes the transition to the professional level a lot easier for many Buckeyes.
Some draft picks feel like a slam dunk when they are made because a player fits the needs of the team well, while others might be a bit puzzling just because a team might be targeting the best available player over someone who might be what the team needs. Then again, nobody really knows how a player is going to pan out in the NFL until he actually gets some reps and is on the field. Just look at someone like Jonathon Cooper, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Cooper has registered 27 sacks over the last three seasons for the Denver Broncos.
Today, we want to know which fit you like best of the Buckeyes selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Maybe it’s one of the first-round picks, or maybe it’s a player nobody is really talking about, like Caden Curry, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Indianapolis Colts. Curry could find some comfort playing with J.T. Tuimoloau, as well as returning to his home state of Indiana. One thing is for sure, there is reason to be excited about every Ohio State player drafted this year, since we have seen the quality of player they can be on the field.
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
I’m sure everyone was expecting me to say Davison Igbinosun, just since he was drafted in the second round by my Buffalo Bills, but my brain has been damaged by watching Bills football for decades, so I can already envision Igbinosun making a pass interference penalty at a critical point of a playoff game. Don’t get me wrong, I love having another Ohio State player on the Bills, there are just some other fits from this year’s draft that I like more.
I’m honestly surprised Caleb Downs wasn’t taken in the top-10 of the draft. Not that Downs slid far down the draft board since he was selected with the 11th overall pick, I was just going into Thursday’s draft thinking he could be a top-five selection. The safety now goes from playing for the most popular college football team in the country to “America’s Team” in the NFL.
There’s no doubt Downs is the future of the Dallas secondary; he just doesn’t have to be the star right now. The last safety the Cowboys took in the first round was back in 2002 when they drafted Roy Williams from Oklahoma. Downs and Williams are definitely not the same type of safety, as Williams was more of a thumper. Downs might not lay the lumber as Williams did, but he will flummox opposing offensive coordinators with his amazing instincts.
Dallas doesn’t even necessarily need Downs to start at safety this season since they have former Buckeye Malik Hooker and free agent signee Jalen Thompson. The majority of the time Downs will likely see on the field in 2026 will probably be at nickel back. This will allow Downs more time to grow into playing safety in the NFL while still being on the field. Some players are rushed into playing because of how high they are drafted. This won’t be the case with Downs.
Just look at how quickly Caleb Downs was able to win over Ohio State fans. Expect the same when it comes to Cowboys fans. Expect Downs to eventually be the most popular player on the Dallas defense and a frequent Pro Bowl safety.
Last season, the Tennessee Titans were a horrendous passing team. They averaged just 166.1 yards per game through the air, good (or bad) for the third-worst in the league; ahead of only the Jets and Browns. And if you thought that was bad, wait until you hear about their receiving touchdowns.
On the year, the entire Titans team accounted for 15 TD catches, the least for any team in the NFL (tied with the Jets). That is just one more than Davante Adams had last season — and he only played in 14 games.
The Titans’ top receiver for the season was, in fact, not a receiver. Leading the way was tight end Chig Okonkwo with 560 yards, while Elic Ayomanor had the most yards for a WR with 515. No one on the team caught more than four touchdown passes in the 2025-26 season.
However, it was quarterback Cam Ward’s first season in the league, and he was on a pretty lackluster team, so pairing him with a talented wide receiver could go a long way. There is no doubt that the moment Carnel Tate steps foot on the field for the Titans, he will be WR1. While that will mean that opposing defenses will likely focus their attention on him — especially given Ohio State’s history for producing Rookies of the Year — it also probably means that he is going to get a ton of targets from Ward.
While it often got overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith’s skill and athleticism, I don’t think people realize just how technically impressive Tate is. He already has elite-level route-running skills, he has shown tremendous body control (both in the air and in juking out defenders), and he has incredible hands in traffic (for both catching and creating separation).
He is the type of player who will always be able to find ways to get open and give his quarterback a target to hit. Will he be able to get as open as he did at OSU? Of course not, but he is an incredibly reliable safety blanket for any QB, especially a young one who is desperate to find a pass-catcher he can rely on.
And if you are looking at it from a strictly stat-driven perspective, I don’t imagine the Titans are going to make a tremendous turnaround this offseason, so they will likely be down early and often in games, allowing Ward to fire as many balls as possible in Tate’s direction. Is another Buckeye Offensive ROTY award in the cards? Only time will tell.