You might not know this, but Ohio State didn't have anyone selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft Thursday night.
The only way you missed out on this interesting tidbit is if you're living under a rock or refuse to sit on your couch and become even more saturated with the country's already most oversaturated league in four-hour television segments that are frankly, extremely boring.
Either way, no one can take away from Ohio State the fact that it now is the program to win the most recent college football national title without any first-round talent on its team — twice.
In some ways, the 2002 team was a little like the 2014 one, mainly because hardly anyone gave the Buckeyes the chance to upset the mighty Miami Hurricanes in the desert or SEC titan Alabama Crimson Tide in its backyard and the high-flying Oregon Ducks in Jerryworld.
Sure, both teams had considerable offensive talent — think Maurice Clarett, Michael Jenkins and Chris Gamble for Ezekiel Elliott, Michael Thomas and Devin Smith — to go with a vastly improved defense bookended by a solid defensive front (Will Smith, Kenny Peterson, Tim Anderson and others in 2002; Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington, etc. in 2014).
But each were the product of stellar young talent who weren't eligible to leave Columbus — no matter how much they tried — in accordance with NFL rules.
The best players from each team either couldn't go to the NFL because they weren't old enough or chose not to — think Will Smith, Michael Jenkins, Taylor Decker and Adolphus Washington.
So what does all this mean? It means that this list is probably going to change drastically next season:
Most 1st round NFL Draft picks the last decade: 1) #Alabama 16 t2) #LSU 14 t2) #USC 14 t4) #OhioState 13 t4) #FloridaState 13
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 21, 2015
It means that figures like this bode well for Ohio State next season (but you already knew that):
Ohio State played against four of the top-15 picks in this year's NFL Draft.
— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) May 1, 2015
The Buckeyes went 4-0 against those top-15 picks (Marcus Mariota, Amari Cooper, Melvin Gordon and Trae Waynes). They were extremely young in 2014, the main reason Urban Meyer thought 2015 would be the best chance Ohio State had to win the national title.
The Buckeyes have plenty of guys coming back because they couldn't leave early or chose not to, which is why there's a good chance they'll set another program record whether or not they win it all in 2015:
Ohio State had five 1st round picks in '06 (Hawk, Whitner, Carpenter. Holmes, Mangold). Good chance to tie or top that mark in 2016.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 1, 2015
The projected first-round talent isn't marooned to just one side of the ball either. Unanimous All-American Joey Bosa probably would have been a top-five pick Thursday if he was eligible. Elliott was likely sitting at home and smiling as he watched two running backs go in the first round Thursday. Left tackles are almost as crucial to NFL offenses as the quarterback, so Decker's draft projection should be high for next year's draft. The same goes for wide receivers (six were taken in the first round Thursday), so expect Michael Thomas to be a hot commodity next spring.
Even Vonn Bell and Darron Lee, two players who put forth breakout seasons during their team's run at the national title could move their way up. And don't sleep on gunslinger Cardale Jones, a big body who can throw it deep — his roommate's already been on the horn shopping his services, mainly to a certain in-state franchise.
The 2002 team housed seven players who were eventual first round NFL draft picks —Michael Jenkins, A.J. Hawk, Will Smith, Chris Gamble, Nick Mangold, Bobby Carpenter and Santonio Holmes. They left school at different times, but Ohio State has a solid chance to trump that number considering the talent on the 2014 squad.
Even if guys like Tyvis Powell or Eli Apple elect to stay in Columbus to play their senior seasons, if they perform to their potential they could flirt with the first round.
Regardless of what's next in terms of life at the next level for the 2014 title team, it's goal is already to fare better than the 2002 club in its title defense. That team finished 11-2 and beat Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, but lost games at Wisconsin and Michigan to doom its chances at repeating.
Ohio State avoids the Badgers this season, but pays a visit to Michigan and first-year coach Jim Harbaugh in late November.
The Buckeyes figure to be loaded again in 2015, but that doesn't necessarily translate to championships at the college level. Even if as many as six players are taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
