Expect the Four-Year Draft Silence for Ohio State Quarterbacks to End Very, Very Soon

It might seem a little odd to consider how long it's been since a former Ohio State quarterback heard his named called in the NFL Draft. Plus, the most recent guy who did, Terrelle Pryor, had to go the supplemental route to get a shot in the league.

The Oakland Raiders gave Pryor a call in August 2011. After sitting out a five-game ban for his involvement in Tattoo-gate which left Ohio State under NCAA investigation, Pryor played in 15 games (starting 10) over three seasons in Oakland.

He then was traded to Seattle prior to the 2014 season, but didn't make the regular season roster. The same held true Tuesday, when Pryor was let go by Kansas City not even five months into the one-year deal he signed with the Chiefs in January.

And with that, no former Ohio State quarterback remains in the National Football League, but at least Pryor has his name in the NFL record book for the longest touchdown run ever by a quarterback.

The last one to hear his name called during the normal stages of the NFL Draft was Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith in 2007 according to DraftHistory.com, when the Baltimore Ravens selected him in the fifth round. Smith is currently out of football after last playing for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL from 2014-15.

Before that? Things get even more spotty, with Craig Krenzel in 2004 (Chicago), Steve Bellisari in 2002 (St. Louis) and Joe Germaine in 1999 (St. Louis). Add in Kent Graham, who was taken in the eighth round by the New York Giants in 1992 and Ohio State's had seven signal callers selected in the draft in the last 25 years.

To offer some perspective, USC's had 11 quarterbacks taken in the NFL Draft over the same time period. Florida State's had nine, including this year's No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston. Michigan and LSU have both had seven selected and Georgia's had six.

So while Ohio State stakes its case for as Wide Receiver U due to its run of skill guys drafted into the NFL, the guys who throw them the ball are another story.

Pryor was the last former Buckeye quarterback in the NFL.

That shouldn't be the case for long, however. It seems unlikely that Cardale Jones will stay at Ohio State much past the 2015 season, especially considering he said he wanted to finish his degree when he announced his intentions to return to school in January.

Jones is set to do that this year and even though it was a bit of a surprise to see him elect to return to school without knowing if the starting job was his, some tabbed him as a first round talent. That distinction should stick with him barring some sort of catastrophic event that causes his demise this year.

J.T. Barrett figures to be another Buckeye quarterback in line to hear his name called on draft day, whenever he declares.

Barrett's still got three more years of eligibility remaining, but scouts and general managers are already drooling over his leadership skills and the improvement he made last season. It makes complete sense that whenever Barrett decides to leave Columbus, he'll have a legitimate shot at making it in the league.

The same goes for Braxton Miller, even though his health is an currently an issue. Miller's athleticism alone should be cause for a few NFL franchises to bite next season. Even if they can't see him as a pro quarterback, what Miller can do with the ball in his hands is nothing short of spectacular.

Quarterback, wide receiver, running back, whatever — Miller's a weapon you don't see come along too often anymore.

Beyond those, the incoming talent for Urban Meyer at quarterback is staggering.

Torrance Gibson, Joe Burrow are heading to campus this summer upon their graduation and four-star Tristen Wallace is right behind them in 2016.

It's too early to project if those players will pan out at the college level to morph into NFL prospects, but the talent at the position isn't slowing down anytime soon.