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Predicting where Ohio State players will land in NFL draft

Josh Keatley
·4 min read

The only NFL game remaining is the Super Bowl. That means 30 of the 32 teams in the league are focusing on the NFL draft and how to build for their futures. Now the NFL draft may not mean much to your average college football fan, but Ohio State fans love paying attention to former alumni and cheering them on in the big league.

The Buckeye program has a strong pipeline to the NFL. Even if you sit on the bench during your time at Ohio State, you are still likely to get a shot in the NFL, because of the prestige of the program. Realistically there are eight legit NFL prospects coming from Ohio State into the league this year, and I wanted to break down where they might get selected.

C.J. Stroud, Quarterback

Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

C.J. Stroud is viewed as a first-round selection and most people would be shocked if he fell out of the top five. Stroud lit up opposing defenses in 2022 with 3,688 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions while completing 66.3% of his passes.

Paris Johnson Jr., Offensive Tackle

Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Paris Johnson Jr. is also likely a first-round pick and should fill in at left tackle for whomever selects him. Johnson played sparingly as a freshman, but the former five-star recruit jumped on the scene as the starting right guard in 2021 before dominating at left tackle for Ohio State in 2022.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Wide Receiver

Syndication The Columbus Dispatch

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being mocked consistently on either the back end of the first round or the early side of the second round. Smith-Njigba was statistically overwhelming when healthy and was widely considered the No. 1 wide receiver heading into last season.

Dawand Jones, Offensive Tackle

Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Dawand Jones appears destined for the second round based on most mock drafts. The former three-star tackle played sparingly at left tackle his first two seasons on campus and dominated at right tackle the last two seasons.

Luke Wypler. Center

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Luke Wypler is being mocked at the end of the second round and early in the third round in most online mocks. There is no doubt Wypler was one of the best linemen in the Big Ten last season and some view him as the best center in this class.

Zach Harrison, Defensive End

Dec. 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Zach Harrison (9) tackles Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13)

Zach Harrison is being mocked in the late third to the early fourth round range and it makes sense considering he checks every box you could possibly want in an edge rusher.

 

Ronnie Hickman, Safety

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Ronnie Hickman is primarily being mocked at the end of the fifth round and in the early sixth round. His miserable play against Michigan and Georgia has obviously taken a toll on his stock. It is still confusing why he declared early.

 

Taron Vincent, Defensive Tackle

Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Taron Vincent is being mocked in the late sixth round and the early seventh round. Vincent lacks the ideal size to be an ideal nose guard in the NFL, but should provide solid depth at the next level.

Story originally appeared on Buckeye Wire