Will Ohio State Have Four Top-10 Picks in the 2026 NFL Draft?

If you've perused any NFL mock drafts this offseason, you'll see a familiar theme in the first half of many of them: There are a handful of Ohio State Buckeyes — and that is no mistake, according to NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. 

In the latest episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," Jeremiah put Ohio State's recent run of producing top NFL prospects in historical perspective, saying only one other program might have had a comparable stretch.

"The only one I can compare it to is the Miami run in the early 2000s. That was a period where, almost every year, we were seeing four first-round guys and then running that depth all the way through," Jeremiah said. "But it's not only that [Ohio State] has dudes … but these guys are having success at the NFL level, too. It's not like it's some overhyped group or a program that's living off their reputation. These guys are getting drafted high, and rightfully so. They're playing really well at the next level."

To Jeremiah’s point, nearly all 10 Buckeyes selected in the first round over the last four drafts have found success at the NFL level. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year this past season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud had one of the best rookie seasons ever for a quarterback in 2023 and has led the Houston Texans in all three seasons he's been with the team. 

In the 2026 draft, Ohio State will almost certainly add four more players to its ever-growing list of the most first-round picks produced by a program. Edge rusher Arvell Reese, wide receiver Carnell Tate, linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs are not only apparent locks to go in the first round, but all four might