CHICAGO — The influx of Ohio State talent into the NFL continues, this time with an athletic linebacker who revolutionized the position in Columbus.
The New York Jets chose redshirt sophomore Darron Lee with the 20th overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft Thursday, the fifth Buckeye taken in this year's first round.
Lee exploded onto college football's landscape in 2014, notching 7.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss off the edge as the Buckeyes ripped through the first-ever College Football Playoff. He finished his two-year on-field career with 12 sacks, 145 tackles, 121 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and three interceptions. He returned one of those interceptions for a score this past season against Northern Illinois and scooped up fumbles against Navy and Michigan in 2014 and returned them for touchdowns.
To put it simply, Lee is a playmaker, the biggest reason he morphed into a first-round selection despite being a high school quarterback and wanting to play wide receiver in college.
Lee joins Ryan Shazier—the player he replaced at Ohio State—as former Buckeye linebackers selected in the first round of the draft the last three seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Shazier 15th overall in 2014.
Lee boosted his stock immensely in Indianapolis at the 2016 NFL Combine in February, when he posted an official time of 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash and a ridiculous 11-foot, 1-inch broad jump. Both figures were top among linebackers.
Lee joins fellow Buckeyes Devin Smith and Nick Mangold on the Jets roster.
